VCS about tricks in the CO2 test for new cars
The VCS Verkehrs-Club der Schweiz is disappointed about the high CO2 emissions of new cars. Despite new technologies, these hardly decrease in Switzerland. The reason for this is that laboratory tests suggest low fuel consumption, while cars on the road emit around 40 percent more CO2.
The VCS Verkehrs-Club der Schweiz is disappointed about the high CO2 emissions of new cars that miss the Paris Climate Agreement by far. According to CO2 emission regulations, since the end of 2015 newly registered passenger cars are allowed to emit a maximum of 130 g CO2/km on average. However, CO2 emissions in 2016 were actually 134 g CO2/km, just one gram less than in 2015 (135 g CO2/km).
However, the VCS update of the car environmental list also lists individual new models with relatively low CO2 emissions.
Reality much higher
In reality, however, the CO2 values are much higher. As with the highly exaggerated NOx emissions of diesel cars, which deviate massively from road reality in the test, there is also a major discrepancy in CO2 emissions: the consumption values determined on the test bench deviate greatly from real fuel consumption.
The tricks
Since laws have demanded more fuel-efficient cars, carmakers have used every means at their disposal to achieve the most favorable values possible on the test bench. Vehicle weight is optimized particularly frequently. In addition, air conditioning and lights are switched off and low rolling resistance tires are used: According to the International Council on Clean Transportation ICCT, the deviation is now around 40 percent.
The introduction of the new WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Pro-cedure) test procedure in September 2017 promises more realistic consumption values. This is urgently needed to ensure that the Paris climate targets do not become a distant prospect.
Low-emission vehicles
The range of vehicles with relatively low CO2 test values is broad. Among new cars, the following stand out in the small car and compact class segments: The Ford Fiesta 1.1 (101 g CO2/km), the Honda Civic 1.0i-VTEC (110 g CO2/km), the Suzuki Swift 1.0 mild hybrid (97 g CO2/km) and the VW Golf 1.0 TSI BMT DSG (107 g CO2/km). In the electric vehicle segment, the VW e-Golf stands out with a range of 300 km, and among the plug-in hybrids, the new Toyota Prius Plug-in.
You can find out more about the new WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Pro-cedure) test procedure at this Link and in general under www.verkehrsclub.ch
