Transport and Environment (T&E) reported recently that European automakers like BMW have increased fuel efficiency but failed to meet the European Union’s carbon emissions standard for the 2008 model year. T&E noted that 2008 cars sold within the European Union used 1.7% less fuel than 2007 models. BMW was the leader in T&E’s fuel efficiency study by cutting fuel usage by 7.3% over last year’s models.
While this news is promising for European motorists concerned about fuel costs, T&E’s report is disconcerting for people concerned about emissions. The European Commission has been debating a fuel emissions standard of 130g/KM of carbon dioxide for every car by the year 2012. Auto industry lobbyists who feel that emission standards need to be added in gradually to avoid undue costs for manufacturers have criticized this proposal. T&E indicates that the European auto market has average emissions of 158g/KM and wants the proposed standard to be set at 120g/KM.
Automakers throughout the continent are using several tricks to diffuse support for the Commission’s proposed emissions standard. Daimler sold off Chrysler last year and other automakers may get rid of gas-guzzling subsidiaries to liquidate funds and appeal to eco-conscious drivers. German automakers have been pushing for flex-fuel vehicles to be exempted from emissions standards in order to meet fuel efficiency standards. Lobbying organizations have also been seeking public support throughout the European Union to stave off overbearing emissions standards.
The T&E emissions report can be criticized for its lack of comprehensive data throughout the European Union. T&E was able to get information from 18 EU members including Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia with nine other countries unable to send information by the report’s publication. Foreign automakers like Honda and Nissan also provided spotty data on vehicle weight that raises questions about the report’s accuracy.
The European Commission, T&E and the European auto industry are all guilty of soft-pedaling the emissions issue on the continent. BMW may have improved efficiency by leaps and bounds over the competition but their 170g/KM emissions average is only behind Mazda and Daimler in terms of high emissions on the T&E report. BMW’s proposed target for 2012 would be 137g/KM with an additional 19% emission cut needed over the next four years. BMW and other major automakers should be looking at Fiat (141g/KM) and Peugeot (141g/KM) for ideas on how to create vehicles that aren’t spewing out clouds of exhaust. These manufacturers will act as examples on how to close the gap between current and ideal emissions in the European Union.
I wonder what is the secret then with Fiat and Peugeot. I remember I had a Fiat as my first new car, and it was fantastic to drive. Very low consumption of gas, and small enough to find parking anywhere! I miss it some times!
You know, this is off topic, but when I first bought my vehical (a Kia Sportage) new, it seemed to get a lot better gas mileage than it does now–or am I imagining things?