…but car companies will escape fines, nonetheless
- As we go into 2012, the year when the 130 g/km limit on CO2 comes into force, only nine manufacturers have got below that figure, yet almost no manufacturer is worried.
- Many will miss the target this year, but the range of loopholes means that fines are unlikely.
1. Total Market
| 2010 | 2011 | improvement | |
| average CO2 g/km | average CO2 g/km | % | |
| Total Market | 144.44 | 138.35 | 4.22% |
2. Leading Manufacturers
There are now nine (out of 31) major manufacturers* which are below the overall target figure of 130 g/km of CO2:
| 2010 | 2011 | improvement | |
| Manufacturer* | average CO2 g/km | average CO2 g/km | % |
| Fiat | 124.58 | 116.31 | 6.64% |
| Citroen | 128.19 | 121.48 | 5.23% |
| Toyota | 124.99 | 124.42 | 0.46% |
| Seat | 134.72 | 126.88 | 5.82% |
| Lexus | 168.13 | 127.39 | 24.23% |
| Mini | 128.03 | 128.21 | -0.14% |
| Alfa Romeo | 138.84 | 128.97 | 7.11% |
| Peugeot | 134.49 | 128.97 | 4.10% |
| Hyundai | 133.72 | 129.98 | 2.80% |
Source: SMMT/Spyder Redspy
3. When is a target not a target?
There are three loopholes that mean almost no-one is actually in danger of paying a fine:
In 2012, only the lowest polluting 65% of each manufacturer’s range have to meet the target. Full compliance is not due until 2015. The EU is fond of quoting “130g/km of CO2 by 2012”, but this is simply not the case.
Car manufacturers who make heavy cars have a higher target. Take the example of Mercedes: with an average weight of 1661 KG, its current target is 143 g/km of CO2, not 130 g/km of CO2.
Manufacturers who sell less than 300,000 cars in the EU do not have to meet the target. So, a company that sells fewer than that can continue producing an average of, say 160 g/km of CO2, without fear. The only restriction for these companies is that their CO2 has to be 25% lower than it was in 2007 – but that is largely academic. Market forces mean that any mainstream manufacturer that was producing cars with over 200 g/km of CO2 in 2007 has had to cut by more than 25% anyway.
For a full explanation of all the data and a list of all manufacturers’ figures, see https://www.cleangreencars.co.uk/co2
* defined as manufacturers whose range includes four seat models, not just two seat city cars.
