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What's the solution?
The real solution is strong legislation which will reduce the effects of climate change.
After a century of telling us that a good car is one that goes faster, performs better and contains more luxuries the car industry needs a new definition of a good car.
All cars need to become more efficient, travelling more kilometres for every litre of fuel burned. In the long term the industry might be able to switch to other forms of propulsion like electric or hydrogen powered cars, but right now the biggest possible gain lies in more fuel efficient petrol driven cars.
What many people don't realise is that there is often a huge difference in emissions between cars in the same range. Emissions from a Renault Clio could be anywhere between 115 grams per km to 173 grams per km depending on which particular model of the same car you choose.
Why is there so much variation? Manufacturers make sporty versions of their cars to make people think all the cars in the range are sporty, and they make green versions to make people think all the cars in the range are green. These cars are 'halo' models, created to add an aura to the standard car that just isn't deserved.
When the manufacturers talk up their green credentials they focus on their green halo models, ignoring the fact that they sell hundreds of standard cars for every green model that makes it onto the roads.
Since the car industry has proved unwilling to reform, we need governments to pass legislation that sets manufacturers on the road to providing better cars. There needs to be a Europe wide target for the average new car to emit 120 grams of CO2 per km for 2012 and 80 grams per km by 2020.
What would this mean for drivers?
There is already legislation be4ing discussed in the EU which could form a basis for this, but it needs to be improved.
The car industry is already responding to the possibility of legislation in the only way it knows how - with a massive lobbying campaign to water down the legislation and a marketing blitz to convince people that they're already going green.
After a century of telling us that a good car is one that goes faster, performs better and contains more luxuries the car industry needs a new definition of a good car.
All cars need to become more efficient, travelling more kilometres for every litre of fuel burned. In the long term the industry might be able to switch to other forms of propulsion like electric or hydrogen powered cars, but right now the biggest possible gain lies in more fuel efficient petrol driven cars.
What many people don't realise is that there is often a huge difference in emissions between cars in the same range. Emissions from a Renault Clio could be anywhere between 115 grams per km to 173 grams per km depending on which particular model of the same car you choose.
Why is there so much variation? Manufacturers make sporty versions of their cars to make people think all the cars in the range are sporty, and they make green versions to make people think all the cars in the range are green. These cars are 'halo' models, created to add an aura to the standard car that just isn't deserved.
When the manufacturers talk up their green credentials they focus on their green halo models, ignoring the fact that they sell hundreds of standard cars for every green model that makes it onto the roads.
Since the car industry has proved unwilling to reform, we need governments to pass legislation that sets manufacturers on the road to providing better cars. There needs to be a Europe wide target for the average new car to emit 120 grams of CO2 per km for 2012 and 80 grams per km by 2020.
What would this mean for drivers?
There is already legislation be4ing discussed in the EU which could form a basis for this, but it needs to be improved. | THE EU PROPOSES | THE CLIMATE NEEDS |
| A fuel efficiency standard of 130g of CO2 per KM driven by 2012 | A fuel efficiency standard of 120g of CO2 per KM driven by 2012 |
| That other efficiency measures can contribute another 10g to the standard | That these measures be taken as additional gains on top of the standard |
| A single target for 2012 | An additional target of 80 grams by 2020 and a commitment to constant improvements |
| Penalties that start at 20 Euros / gram and rise to 95 Euros by 2015 | Penalties that will lead to compliance; 150 Euro from 2012 |
| Opt outs for manufacturers who make less than 10 000 cars | No exceptions |
| Lower targets for makers of heavier cars | A standard that reflects how big a car is, not how much it weighs, so efficient family cars are not penalized for being light |
The car industry is already responding to the possibility of legislation in the only way it knows how - with a massive lobbying campaign to water down the legislation and a marketing blitz to convince people that they're already going green.
