Vision2030+

According to European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates, air pollution is the number-one environmental cause of death in Europe. Noise exposure also reduces life satisfaction and perception of well-being. The WHO identified noise as the second most significant environmental cause of ill health in Western Europe after air pollution. In addition to noise and air pollution, the exposure to and possible negative health impacts of toxic chemicals found in the environment and food are coming under increasing scrutiny from scientific and regulatory communities worldwide, including in Europe. Finally, road traffic accidents are still of major concerns, in light of the number of deaths but also of serious injuries reported every year in the Member States.

ACEM and its members are committed to find solutions to improve good health in the EU, be it for the users of PTWs or for EU citizens as a whole. The introduction of new pollutant emission limits in 2016 and 2020 (Euro4 and Euro5), the Industry request for the introduction of a more real-world type approval Sound emission procedure at UNECE level, the call for a more stringent surveillance to avoid tampering, a pro-active stance requesting the inclusion of PTWs in the framework of the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, and the constant hands-on approach of the ACEM membership to enhance road safety in all its facets, are just a few examples of the PTW manufacturers’ dedication to improve the situation on all fronts. Actions are deployed yearly on these 4 key challenges (local pollutants, noise, chemical management and road safety) and discussions with other EU/National stakeholders, EU institutions and national administrations form an integral part of the regular ACEM activities.

Sustainable economic growth is also a positive challenge of key importance at Industry level in order to safeguard the perennity of economic activities for all market operators of the motorcycle segment: from parts and components, suppliers to vehicle manufacturers, from national/regional distributors to local dealers, including aftermarket operators and related business actors of the motorcycling community.

ACEM has recently engaged in an activity to better assess the various segments of the sector and their economic weight, to showcase how the Industry at large contributes to the economic growth of the European Union. It is estimated that, in 2019, the yearly GDP impact of the motorcycle sector on the European economy was about €15.9 billion. It also generated tax revenues of €13.5 billion and jobs for more than 290,000 people, this before taking into account the added economic benefits of the manufacturing of motorcycle accessories, and activities such as motorcycle sports and other events.

On the latter, motorcycle sports, motorcycle trade fairs and events organized by OEMs contribute alone about € 2.1 billion to Europe’s GDP and support about 38,400 jobs and € 1.2 billion in tax payments. A large part of that impact happen in local communities that greatly benefit from international tourists attending motorcycle-related events. 5 million spectators attended major motorcycle sporting events in 2019, with MotoGP attracting about 1.8 million spectators to its 12 European races in that season. Furthermore, about 2.5 million people attended motorcycle trade fairs and manufacturers' promotional events the same year.

Industry also has a role in achieving a circular economy and similarly, investments in sustainable infrastructure are key elements for achieving the targets of SDG9 in particular.

ACEM members are committed to increasing the deployment of low-emissions and zero-emission vehicles and calls for a speedier deployment of renewable and low-carbon fuels and infrastructure, as well as the roll-out of charging stations to sustain market uptake of electromobility across Europe. In this view, the industry is working to develop new technologies, such as an open standard swappable battery system for L-Category vehicles, to meet customer’s needs as well as promote the use of zero-emission PTWs.

Inclusive and sustainable industrialization, together with innovation and infrastructure, can unleash dynamic and competitive economic forces that generate employment and income. They not only play a key role in introducing and promoting new technologies for the benefit of European citizens but also facilitate international trade in which all ACEM members are involved on a day-to-day basis.

As the European Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, EU institutions, Member States and national authorities should give market operators all the enabling conditions for them to deliver on this green and digital transformation of the continent. In this context, a switch to a more sustainable and smart mobility that would include PTWs, can only be achievable through investments in adequate infrastructure and enhanced digitalization.

This large concentration of people and wealth, however, often comes with a range of complex challenges such as ensuring sustainable mobility and enabling the reduction of negative environmental impacts, such as poor air quality and noise.

Factually, urban mobility accounts for up to 70% of pollutants from transport and 40% of all CO2 emissions of road transport. European cities increasingly face problems caused by and traffic. The need for sustainable (in three dimensions: economical, social and environmental) mobility has been receiving increasing attention and is at the heart of the powered two-wheelers industry’s constant efforts to deliver products capable of mitigating the impact of traffic in cities and surrounding areas, while promoting welfare for all, in all aspects of their day to day lives.

PTWs over short distances are a great solution, especially when intended as part of a ‘multimodal’ journey, in everyday travel in cities. ‘Joining up’ travel for longer journeys, meaning that PTWs can be used at the beginning and/or end of journeys where public transport cannot offer a complete door to door solution.

Today, ACEM manufacturers continue to work on exciting, sustainable individual mobility, leisure and personal transport solutions for now and for the future; ensuring safe, clean, smart, fun and efficient mobility for all. Taking note of the ambitions of the European Green Deal and looking forward to the revision of the Urban Mobility Package, ACEM members are committed to working with cities to increase access to and availability of (electric) Powered Two-Wheelers, in order to increase mobility and accessibility for citizens.

Reducing both the need for resource extraction and the amount of waste ending up in landfills or incineration entail safe management of chemicals and a shift away from carbon-intensive energy carriers towards sustainably produced renewable energy sources.

The PTW industry contributes to the circular economy by prolonging the service life of the vehicles it produces. Manufactures believe that they have a responsibility to their customers to support the longevity of vehicles by ensuring that they can be serviced, repaired and maintained. Extending the lifetime of a vehicle is essential to reducing costs for consumers, as well as conserving natural resources and energy. Under the type-approval regulatory framework, the industry has delivered on access to Repair and Maintenance Information, allowing independent operators to better contribute to the circular chain, to the benefit of consumers and of the environment. At EU and national levels, ACEM has also promoted the introduction of regular periodic inspections to ensure responsible consumption at consumer level throughout the vehicle’s entire life cycle. Besides legislation and industry-led initiatives, the Motorcycle Industry has been proactively promoting the inclusion of the sector in the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, in order to ensure proper dismantling of vehicles, effective reuse of parts and components and enhanced circularity of strategic materials.

In order to achieve the EU’s ambition of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, ACEM members are committed to delivering L-category vehicles that contribute to the decarbonisation of transport, in a sustainable timeframe, which supports jobs, growth and the environment. PTWs represent less than 2% of the vehicle fleet on EU roads: PTWs are a smaller, lighter and more efficient mobility solution for personal transport and light goods delivery, which should be encouraged for the part they can play - today and in the future - in a multimodal transport system.

Besides these inherent beneficial qualities of the products, ACEM also recognises the environmental imperatives that requires us to play our part in decarbonisation. Our industry ambition, based on the “right vehicle, right place, right energy carrier” concept and in accordance with a multi-pathway approach, is to continue to offer the market a variety of powertrains, each of which will contribute to decarbonisation. While CO2 emissions from traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) propelled PTWs continue to be reduced, due to new technology, design and the introduction of e-fuels, the industry will continue to place more and more electric vehicles on the market every year.