The European Commission has published proposals aimed at reducing vehicles' carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030. The move is designed to put further pressure on manufacturers to develop more hybrid and electric cars... "The proposed 30% reduction target for passenger cars is ambitious and realistic, the Commission said... EU governments and the European Parliament will need to agree to the Commission's proposals... Environmental campaigners and consumer advocates seem pretty unimpressed by the Commission's proposals - [...] partly because the proposals don't include minimum quotas for the production of zero and low emission vehicles - hybrids, electric cars and hydrogen vehicles. There will be incentives for manufacturers to meet specific targets, but no penalties if they fail. If Brussels gossip is to be believed, the proposal was watered down due to high level lobbying from Germany's car industry association, the VDA - which found sympathy in high places, particularly among German officials.