The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has released a position paper on urban vehicle access regulations in November 2021. The paper highlights the ongoing debate at the EU level on how to make European cities more liveable, with a focus on meeting environmental and space-efficiency targets. The role of motorised individual mobility in cities is at the heart of the discussion, and the number of urban vehicle access regulations (UVARs) and low- and zero-emission zones (LEZ / ZEZ) in Europe continues to increase. ACEA members are driving the ramp-up of clean mobility by offering a wide range of attractive vehicles, technologies, and services tailored for different uses, circumstances, and consumer preferences. Electrified vehicles will be a key technology to reach environmental goals in road transport in the coming years. ACEA members believe that UVARs can be a useful tool to reach the environmental goals of cities and to accelerate the market deployment of electrified vehicles / low-noise solutions, but each UVAR scheme should be assessed on a case-by-case basis to ensure it is effective, acceptable, and embedded in a holistic urban mobility plan. The social, environmental, and economic impact and consequences of each UVAR scheme need to be carefully evaluated before confirming its suitability. To ensure broad public acceptance and a proper balance between mobility needs and environmental goals, the importance of individual mobility should be recognised.
