The new requirement translates to a fuel mileage of 52 mpg for petrol cars and 58 mpg for diesel powered vehicles. The program aims to have 65% compliance by 2012, 75% by 2013, and a completion by 2015. Violators will face heavy fines on a per gram of CO2 emitted basis.

Car manufacturers express their support for being earth friendly but are also very vocal about the challenges that they must face to comply with the law.

A lot of moves have been made by the auto industry to contribute in the strategy of conserving the environment. Car manufacturers are among the leading sectors spending a hefty sum of money for research and development to further strengthen the cause of CO2 emission reduction.

The production lines of vehicles have significantly decreased their energy consumption by 12%, land fill usage by 25%, and water utilization by 12%.

In turn, the car manufacturers are asking the EU governments to support their long term and short term development and manufacturing efforts amid the global financial crisis.

The current economic difficulties faced today pushes automakers against the wall and force them to cut on expenditures and allocations to key projects for research and development. They are seeking billions of loans to support the transport industry.

Like in the US, the European car industry serves as the backbone of success for the European economies. Car manufacturers provide around 13 million indirect and direct employments.

This post is always limited. We're a small site, ran by two people who do this as a hobby - so we obviously can't offer you the daily updates a site like Motors.co.uk can. If you're looking for more up to date news, we gladly endorse them!

First and foremost, politically the big players are going to squash any products that have received merit by way of government endorsements. For example, forcing gas companies to include a certain percentage of ethanol in the gas mix was not met in a welcoming manner. Moreover, car manufacturers have a vested interest in gasoline. If alternative car fuels gain a greater hold in the marketplace, carmakers will be forced to modify their equipment and their vehicles.

Second, it appears that humanitarian groups feel that farmers must choose between food and non-food crops. By encouraging energy farms and the planting of crops for the sole use in bio fuels, people are being denied the needed farmlands for food. In essence, people will starve because growing and harvesting foods will not be as popular. Taking the logic one step further, they feel it is immoral to focus on fuels at all when so many people are starving. Both food stocks used for bio fuel and non-food crops are a waste because they are used to propel cars. With all the hunger in the world, why are we even thinking about bio fuels?

Third, the environmentalists themselves have issues with the new crops being planted for creating ethanol. They insist that some of these crops are ruining eco-systems and the long-term environmental damage has not been properly assessed.

It is true that it is impossible to please everyone.