Brussels, September 2025 — The European Commission’s Industrial Action Plan for the Automotive Sector and the subsequent debate in the European Parliament mark an important step in defining Europe’s industrial strategy for the next generation of mobility. With a focus on clean technologies, resilient supply chains, and fair competition, the plan aims to strengthen Europe’s leadership in electric and connected vehicles while ensuring the automotive transition benefits citizens, workers, and the environment alike.
The Microcar Coalition welcomes this ambition — and calls for the inclusion of L7e class vehicles, or microcars, as a vital part of the strategy to achieve sustainable, competitive, and truly European mobility
A turning point for European mobility
The EU’s new Action Plan outlines concrete measures to maintain Europe’s industrial edge amid rapid technological and geopolitical change.
Among the key commitments are:
- €1.8 billion in support for a secure European battery supply chain
- Creation of a European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance
- Targeted flexibility for CO₂ compliance between 2025 and 2027
- Stronger support for workers’ reskilling and transition programs
These steps reflect the urgent need for Europe to combine climate responsibility with industrial strength. As President Ursula von der Leyen stated:
“Our aim is a sustainable, competitive, and innovative car industry in Europe that benefits our citizens, our economy, and our environment.”
Small vehicles, big potential
While most attention naturally falls on large-scale technologies — from autonomous systems to battery gigafactories — Europe’s transformation also depends on compact, efficient, and accessible forms of mobility. This is where L7e microcars can make a decisive contribution.
According to studies such as DLR’s LEV4Climate report, L7e vehicles consume up to 80% less energy than conventional electric cars and require dramatically smaller batteries. These advantages directly address two of the Action Plan’s priorities: reducing critical material dependencies and ensuring affordable access to zero-emission mobility.
Moreover, microcars are built for Europe’s urban realities. With lengths around 2.5 meters, they occupy half the space of a typical car — easing congestion, simplifying charging infrastructure, and making electric mobility more practical for dense city environments.
Aligning policy with innovation
In his recent speech to the European Parliament, Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra acknowledged the growing need for “small and affordable electric cars” and reaffirmed that Europe must remain technology-neutral in its pursuit of clean mobility. This perspective aligns perfectly with the Microcar Coalition’s mission: to ensure that innovation policy supports not only large vehicles and high-end systems, but also the smaller, more efficient solutions that can be deployed immediately and at scale.
In the words of Commissioner Hoekstra:
“Clean mobility should be within reach for everyone.”
That vision will only become reality if microcars are explicitly recognized in future legislation — from CO₂ standards and corporate fleet decarbonization measures to EU funding and research frameworks.
A European success story waiting to grow
The microcar segment is already proving what a sustainable and competitive European product can look like.
- Designed and manufactured in Europe, microcars strengthen local supply chains and reduce dependency on imported components.
- Their low energy use and compact design align with Europe’s Fit for 55 and Green Deal goals.
- They represent an accessible path to electrification for millions of European households and small businesses.
By including L7e vehicles in the broader automotive agenda, the EU can unlock a new tier of innovation that complements — rather than competes with — traditional car manufacturing.
The road ahead
The Microcar Coalition calls on EU policymakers to integrate microcars into the Industrial Action Plan’s framework for competitiveness, clean transport, and innovation. Recognizing these vehicles as part of Europe’s mobility ecosystem would:
- Accelerate decarbonization through low-energy urban transport
- Boost European manufacturing of small electric vehicles
- Strengthen social and geographical inclusiveness in the mobility transition
Europe’s future mobility cannot be defined by size, but by impact. Microcars prove that efficiency, sustainability, and innovation can go hand in hand — compact in form, but powerful in contribution.
