Brussels, 03/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - In 2010, average CO2 emissions from new cars in Europe fell to 140 grams per kilometre (g/km) without any significant increase in retail prices, quite the opposite, says the NGO Transport and Environment (T&E), following publication of its new report on 30 September. This firmly rebuts the argument that car manufacturers have consistently advanced against the binding legislative target of an average level of 140g/km - that such a move would make cars unaffordable.
The study demonstrates that, last year, the average new car consumed 4% les fuel, emitted 4% less CO2 and was 2.5% cheaper in real terms. More precisely, it reveals that, in 2010, Volvo led the way in CO2 emission reduction (down 9%), while the emissions from new Hondas and Mazdas increased (by 0.6% and 0.3% respectively). In that same year, Fiat, Toyota and Peugeot Citroën had Europe's cleanest fleets in terms of CO2 emissions; Daimler, on the other hand, had the worst average CO2 emissions of major car makers in Europe, followed by Volvo.
The T&E assessed progress made by major car manufacturers in reducing CO2 emissions and examined two cost estimates carried out for the European Commission in 2001 and 2006 that were based on data supplied by the car industry. According to the earlier report, the 140g/km target would lead to a €2,400 increase in the average price of new cars, and, according to the second, the increase would be €1,200.
The T&E report is available online at: http://www.transportenvironment.org (AN/transl.rt)