The Co-Chair from Japan presented document EVS-02-17e, the report of the second session of the EVS, and indicated that the Terms of Reference of the group were submitted to the 158th session of the WP.29.
The Chair of the WLTP-EV explained that his group is in phase 2 of validation 2 and that they have begun developing the gtr sections pertaining to EVs. The Chair of the WLTP-EV could not respond if a specific EV cycle would be available.
The Chair of the HDH referred the EVE members to the presentation made at EVE-02 and indicated that a gtr drafting group will have their first meeting at their next session in March.
The Chair of the VSPD referred EVE members to the document GRPE-65-12 that will be presented at the upcoming GRPE. He further mentioned that this work was currently in support of the WLTP work and that he planned to complete this by June 2013. The VSPD Chair indicated that timing of future meetings was going to be discussed in the upcoming GRPE.
Petter Asman, Chair of the newly formed EPPR informed the EVE members that the first meeting of the IWG would be held this coming Friday afternoon, and that the mandate of the group was scheduled to end in 2016. He mentioned that the objective of the first session was to seek input and agree to Terms of Reference.
An EVE member joining by conference call asked how the EPPR and EVE IWGs differed and if it would cover nonroad vehicles?
The EPPR Chair responded that the scope of the group covered all types of propulsion systems, including petrol, and that the focus was on onroad vehicles.
The Co-Chair from China asked if the group had a mandate to develop a gtr for motorcycles.
The EPPR Chair suggested having a look at the draft Terms of Reference currently on the GRPE website.
45. GRPE agreed to appoint Petter Asman (Sweden) as Chair of the EPPR group, while secretariat services will be assured by Thomas Vercammen (IMMA). The Chair of the EPPR informal working group introduced GRPE-65-15 (containing background information, terms of reference and rules of procedure of the informal group), clarifying that it should be considered as a discussion draft. He stated that this document is going to be discussed in EPPR meetings before being resubmitted to GRPE, in June 2013, in a revised form, for final approval. He invited all interested stakeholders to participate in the first group meeting, scheduled after the GRPE session, to discuss it. He agreed with the suggestion by the GRPE Chair that the EPPR group should take a two-step approach, focused first on the review of a suitable roadmap, and later on its execution.
46. The expert from India conveyed his support for this activity, but expressed concerns about the timeline currently outlined, questioning whether it is realistic to assure the delivery of results. He suggested prioritizing the tasks, giving preference to L3 category vehicles because of their global relevance. The expert from IMMA supported an approach focused first on the development of a roadmap, and then focusing on the development of UN GTR. He also confirmed the concerns raised by India on the current timeline. The expert from Japan stressed the need to avoid any overlap with the activity of the informal working group on Electric Vehicles and the Environment (EVE). The Chair of the EVE group offered his contribution and help to assure that this will not be the case.
47. GRPE agreed with the approach suggested and endorsed the decision to further discuss updated terms of reference and rules of procedure in its next session. GRPE also invited the EPPR informal group to submit a proposal for a roadmap, indicating which portions of the work fall under the scope of the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.2) and which fall under the 1998 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/132 and Corr.1) and outlining the expected timeframe for amendment of existing UN Regulations and UN GTRs and/or new regulatory texts.
e. Environmental and Propulsion Performance Requirements of L-category vehicles (EPPR)- update was given by Petter Asman (Sweden)
The EPPR IWG initiated work during the January 2013 GRPE session and held a second meeting in Brussels in April 25 – 26, 2013. The focus of work has been on developing a terms of reference and mandate to develop a gtr; updated versions of these documents (GRPE-66-11 and GRPE-66-12) were to be discussed at the 3rd EPPR IWG meeting on June 7th, 2013 in Geneva and presented during the 66th GRPE session. The fourth EPPR session is scheduled for October 8 – 9, 2013 in India.
54. The Chair of the EPPR group introduced GRPE-66-11, updating the terms of reference and rules of procedure of the informal group considered by GRPE in January 2013, aiming for an approval. Presenting GRPE-66-31, he outlined the main areas of work, provided information on the ongoing discussions taking place in recent meetings, and illustrated a draft road map sketching the work of the group in the forthcoming months. Having underlined that the work address issues both under the 1998 and the 1958 agreement, he mentioned that evaporative emissions, OBD requirements and tailpipe emissions are the first priorities to be considered by the group.
57. GRPE approved the updated EPPR terms of reference, as reproduced in Annex VI of the GRPE meeting report. GRPE also considered GRPE-66-12, supporting its submission for consideration by WP.29 and AC.3 in their next session and endorsing the request for a mandate to amend UN GTR No. 2, to develop new UN GTRs (if necessary), and to amend and/or develop UN Regulations.
EPPR Terms of Reference and rules of Procedure and Request for EPPR mandate have been submitted as informal documents for the 66th session of GRPE (documents GRPE-66-11 and GRPE-66-12).
GRPE adopted the Terms of Reference and agreed to the Request for mandate. The ToR document will be annexed to the report from GRPE and the Request for Mandate should be submitted for approval to WP29 (AC1 and AC3) by the sponsor (EU, represented by the European Commission).