Cars in Britain producing 13 percent less CO2 than 10 years ago
We already mentioned that the UK car market is showing a shift towards more fuel efficient cars. SMMT took out a calculator to find out just how much of a change there is. The group's report is filled with interesting highlights.
The average car sold in the UK currently produces 13 percent less CO2 than 10 years ago. This is calculated from the total sales figures, which also reveal that almost 40 percent of the new car market produces under 140 g/km CO2, compared to less than four percent in 1997. In general figures, cars emit 4.8 percent less CO2 compared to 1997; 68.7 million tons vs 72.2.
Although not as many diesels were sold in the UK as in other European countries (France has 60 percent diesel penetration, Spain 70 percent, for instance), diesels still made up 40.2 percent of the UK marker, compared to 26.5 percent in 1997. One reason is different taxes in the UK compared to other EU countries. The SMMT's report also explains that tax revenue from car drivers is up from £33.8 in 1997 to £45.1 billion. Not bad.
[Source: SMMT]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 10:00AM (3/26/2008)
What's far MORE important than Co2? MPG!
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rj 11:33AM (3/26/2008)
you realize they are directly related right?
The amount of fuel burned determines the CO2.
This is a source of the whole CA vs the world trying to regulate CO2 emissions as CO2 emissions are already regulated indirectly by fuel economy standards.
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Wildgoosechase73 4:53PM (3/26/2008)
What this really shows is that taxing fuel and vehicles by their CO2 production is effective.
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Kris 6:19PM (3/26/2008)
I don't get the story completely. Does the article says that the average car is producing 13 percent less C03, or that all cars in the UK produce 13 percent less CO2 ??? Because cars might have become more fuel efficient, but there are a lot more cars on the road than 10 years ago.
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Kris 6:21PM (3/26/2008)
I meant CO2, not CO3....
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