Emissions from new cars 'on the decline'
Date: 18/03/2008 12:00:00
A new report has suggested that the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by new cars has fallen by 13 per cent in the last decade.
The publication from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also revealed that more new cars emit lower levels of carbon dioxide.
Some 39.5 per cent of today's new vehicles boast emissions of 140g per kilometre - compared with 3.9 per cent in 1997, something that may have a bearing on green car insurance premiums.
Meanwhile, the number of Band B cars being sold is poised to overtake sales of their more polluting Band G counterparts, the report also suggested.
"Our latest CO2 report shows how far we have come, but also the challenges that lie ahead," commented SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt.
"Industry is bringing more new technologies to market. Encouraging consumers to embrace these and choose lower CO2-emitting variants must be our priority."
Figures from consulting firm AEA show that road transport is responsible for just over a fifth of all UK man-made carbon emissions.