Average new car CO2 emissions down 3.6% in 2012
Thu 14 March 2013
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Average UK new car CO2 emissions were 3.6% better in 2012 than 2011 according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers' (SMMT) latest annual report. The SMMT says that emissions in 2012 were 26.5% better in 2012 than 2000. The figures were, however, released on the same day as a report from a Brussels-based NGO which says that progress over the last decade has been exaggerated because car manufacturers have been able to find ways to improve test-cycle results which are not fully reflected in real world driving.
Average new car emissions reached 133.1g/km CO2 in 2012 according to the SMMT study. The result suggests that - at least in the UK - car makers are on track to meet the 2015 European target of 130g/km early.
The report says that cars producing below 130g/km in 2012 accounted for more than half the market (55.4%) compared with just 10.6% in 2007. Meanwhile cars in the lowest VED band (‘A’) cars (sub-100g/km) increased to 8.2% market share from 3.7% in 2011.
Over the past five years, average emissions across all segments (car sizes), dropped almost 20% with larger vehicles making the biggest improvements. Executive cars cut CO2 25% while specialist sports and dual purpose vehicles improved 24.7% and 23.1% respectively.
Meanwhile, a report published by Transport and Environment (T&E), a Brussels-based NGO, says that - throughout Europe - there is a growing gap between the official fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of new passenger cars and vans and that which is achieved by the same vehicles on the road.
T&E's research carried out a comparison of test results produced by carmakers and identical tests performed by an independent laboratory on six standard new cars. T&E says that there are about 20 ways carmakers ‘creatively’ re-interpret test procedures, exploiting loopholes and flexibilities in the current rules to boost the green credentials of their cars.
The report says that the current supervision of testing and checks on production vehicles (to ensure these are equivalent to tested vehicles) are inconsistent and inadequate, with manufacturers paying the organisations undertaking and certifying the tests.
According to T&E, consultants for the European Commission have concluded that around 30% of the net CO2 emission reduction between 2002 and 2010 does not result from technology deployment and that “utilisation of flexibilities may account for two-fifths to half of the net CO2 emission reduction between 2002 and 2010.”
T&E says that the data shows the gap between real-world and official figures has been growing, year by year, resulting in a situation where motoring costs are higher than official test results suggest.
The report concludes that the current NEDC test regime is not fit for purpose and that loopholes in the current test should be immediately closed, with new cars and vans retested under realistic conditions.
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