Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the Community's integrated approach to reduce CO₂ emissions from light duty vehicles^f1, and in particular Article 12(4) thereof,

Whereas:

On 6 September 2018, the manufacturers Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA, Opel Automobile GmbH – PSA, FCA Italy S.p.A., Automobiles Citroën, Automobiles Peugeot, PSA Automobiles SA, Audi AG, Ford Werke GmbH, Jaguar Land Rover, Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center GmbH, Škoda Auto a.s., BMW AG, Renault SA, Honda Motor Europe Ltd, Volkswagen AG and Volkswagen AG Nutzfahrzeuge (the ‘applicants’), submitted a joint application for the approval of efficient vehicle exterior lighting using light emitting diodes (efficient LED lighting) for use in internal combustion engine vehicles and non-externally chargeable hybrid electrified vehicles as an innovative technology. The application has been assessed in accordance with Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 725/2011^f2.

Efficient LED lighting is a lighting module equipped with light emitting diodes sources that has lower power consumption than conventional halogen lighting.

The application has been assessed in accordance with Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 443/2009, Implementing Regulation (EU) No 725/2011 and the Technical Guidelines for the preparation of applications for the approval of innovative technologies pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 (Technical Guidelines, version July 2018).

The application concerns CO₂ savings from the use of efficient LED lighting as assessed by reference to the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) set out in Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1151^f3.

Efficient LED lighting has already been approved by Commission Implementing Decisions 2014/128/EU^f4, (EU) 2015/206^f5, (EU) 2016/160^f6, (EU) 2016/587^f7 and (EU) 2016/1721^f8 as an innovative technology capable of reducing CO₂ emissions by reference to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No 692/2008^f9. Based on the experience gained from those Decisions, as well as taking into account the current application, it has been satisfactorily and conclusively demonstrated that efficient LED lighting including one or more appropriate combinations of efficient LED lights, such as the low beam headlamp, high beam headlamp, front position, front fog, rear fog, front turn signal, rear turn signal, licence plate and reversing lamps, meet the eligibility criteria referred to in Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 725/2011.

The CO₂ savings from the use of efficient LED lighting may be partially demonstrated on the WLTP test. However, the applicants have provided a testing methodology with which it can be demonstrated, in a way capable of producing repeatable, verifiable and comparable results, that the savings achieved, whilst taking the partial coverage into account, are at least 0,5 g CO₂/km.

In order to ensure continuity, in particular with regard to the transition from the application of the NEDC to the WLTP CO₂ emissions test, it is appropriate to maintain halogen lighting as the baseline technology as provided for in Implementing Decisions 2014/128/EU, (EU) 2015/206, (EU) 2016/160, (EU) 2016/587, and (EU) 2016/1721.

Manufacturers should have the possibility to apply with a type-approval authority for the certification of CO₂ savings from the use of efficient LED lightings in internal combustion engine vehicles and non-externally chargeable hybrid electrified vehicles. The manufacturer should for that purpose ensure that the application for certification is accompanied by a verification report from an independent verification body confirming the level of CO₂ savings to be certified and that all relevant conditions are met.

If the type approval authority finds that the LED lighting does not satisfy the conditions for certification, the application for certification of the savings should be rejected.

In order to facilitate a wider deployment of efficient LED lighting in new vehicles, a manufacturer should also have the possibility to apply for the certification of the CO₂ savings from several efficient LED lightings by a single certification application. It is however appropriate to ensure that, where that possibility is used, a mechanism is applied that incentivises the deployment of only those LED lighting that offer the highest efficiency.

The CO₂ savings certified pursuant to this Decision are to be taken into account for the calculation of the average specific CO₂ emissions of manufacturers starting from calendar year 2021.

For the purposes of determining the general eco-innovation code to be used in the relevant type approval documents in accordance with Annexes I, VIII and IX to Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council^f10, the individual code to be used for the innovative technology for efficient LED Lightings for internal combustion engine vehicles and non-externally chargeable hybrid electrified vehicles should be specified,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: