RESEARCH : POTOCNIK: GREEN VEHICLES MORE ESSENTIAL THAN EVER.

• Position: Janez Potocnik - Brief article

The economic crisis is no reason to slacken efforts in the area of research and development focusing on more ecological vehicles: this was the key message of a speech given by Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik at a conference of the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC), on 26 January in Brussels. "We simply have no choice," announced the commissioner, referring to the efforts asked of the automotive industry to reduce CO2 emissions.With the number of passenger cars expected to double over the next 20 years, emissions have to be cut, failing which there will be "an environmental disaster". More explicitly, he said: "Either you are part of the solution, or you will be part of history". Although Potocnik acknowledged that automotive manufacturers are "among the most vulnerable" in today's crisis, he also...