EU pushes cut in car emissions, boost for electric vehicles

Brussels - The European Commission wants to reduce car-generated carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2030, and boost electric car use by making them cheaper and easier to charge.

The commission proposal released Wednesday stops short of quotas on car makers, and is more modest than goals already set out by some EU members.

But commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic insisted that the plan is the most "realistic" compromise between Europe's ambitions to blaze trails on clean energy and the costs to European car makers to overhaul workforces and production.

The plan includes investment incentives and an expansion and standardization of charging stations Europe-wide. Sefcovic said carmakers promised to make low-emission vehicles more affordable "soon."

The proposal is part of EU efforts to meet commitments under the Paris climate accord.