Motoring consumer groups call for greater transparency in advertising environmental benefits of EVs
Fri 20 May 2011
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The FIA - Federation (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), which has 71 European motoring and touring clubs amongst its members - says that while it supports the push for electric vehicles, its clubs are calling for greater transparency and consistency in the carbon rating of plug-in vehicles.
Werner Kraus, a president of the FIA said that current commercial and political pressures to present battery electric vehicles as 'zero emission' vehicles "are misleading for consumers".
The FIA says that despite recognising that the electrification of transport has a key role to play in the future of the transport industry, primarily by decreasing oil dependence, the FIA warned that the purchase price of electric vehicles is still too high to favour their rapid market uptake.
Kraus was speaking at the annual FIA International Club Conference, held in Estoril, Portugal during May.
Aware of the challenges facing the industry in terms of communicating the benefits of electric and other low carbon cars, the LowCVP - in association with the SMMT and ISBA, the advertising trade association - produced a guidance document on 'Best Practice Principles for Environmental claims in automotive marketing to consumers'.
The guide was developed as a framework and a starting reference point for consumers, the car industry and its marketers. Since the guide was published, there has been a reduction in the number of car advertisements suspended by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making misleading claims.
The LowCVP believes that it is important for car makers to uphold best practice in marketing to avoid accurate and legitimate claims being undermined and creating damaging perceptions about environmental claims on the part of consumers.
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