last
updated June 04
by 4ecotips.com
With fuel prices soaring many drivers
are looking towards economy cars that
are low on fuel but have the highest
possible performance within their
range.
As the Automobile Association points
out, all cars produce toxic emissions
and carbon dioxide (CO2), the gas
contributing largely to climate change.
Not all cars are the same though –
even similar models can vary in their
emissions.
By choosing a new car with lower
emissions you'll not only be helping
the environment, you'll save money.
For example, charges for road and
company car tax are now based on CO2
emissions.
Factors Influencing Emissions
Fuel type
Age of the car (the emissions standard
it had to meet when built)
Fuel quality
How well the car is maintained
How the car is driven (eg urban vs
suburban driving)
Comparing Emissions for Different
Cars
Most people know the type of car (eg
city car, small family car) they want,
and will then consider the relative
merits of the different makes and
models in that category. For example,
you won't be persuaded to buy a city
car on grounds that it's greener if
you really need a people carrier.
But you might consider better people
carriers if the information to compare
was readily available.
So if we're trying to encourage you
to choose greener cars, the most helpful
information we can provide concerns
relative performance within different
categories.
Emissions Standards
Before they can be sold in Europe
all new car models are subject to
a series of legally enforced technical
tests to ensure that they meet minimum
laid-down standards. These 'type approval'
tests include standards for exhaust
emissions that have been getting progressively
more stringent since the early 1990s.
Emissions standards are known as
Euro I (1992 on), Euro II (1996 on),
Euro III (2000 on) or Euro IV (2005
on). New cars currently have to meet
the Euro III standard though there
are some that already meet the more
exacting Euro IV standard.
Rating System
If cars are to become greener, both
toxic emissions and CO2 levels must
be reduced and any rating system must
take account of both types of emissions.
Based on the official type-approval
data for exhaust emissions, our simple
star-rating system gives an indication
of the relative impact on the environment
of new cars within the same market
segment. The greenest cars are awarded
four stars, while those with the highest
emissions levels receive one.
For further information and other
motoring advice visit: www.theaa.com
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