Aussies buying greener cars

The National Transport Commission has released its annual report on CO2 emissions for the Australian automotive sector during 2014.

Named 'New Australian Light Vehicles Carbon Dioxide Emissions Intensity 2014', the report reveals that Australian cars emitted 188g/km on average, which is a 2.3 per cent reduction from the previous year's average.

The NTC argues that this reflects changing buyer preferences, with the market meeting that demand with a much wider range of low-emissions vehicles than has been available in the past.

As was reported last year, the decade-long rolling study shows a 22 per cent decline in average CO2 emissions by the national automotive fleet.

"Australians have always loved their cars, but this data shows that more and more they are loving cars that save them money at the fuel pump," said Paul Retter, NTC CEO.

"Manufacturers are doing their bit too – the average emissions intensity of Australian made vehicles fell between 18 and 28 per cent over ten years."

SUVs and sports cars contributed a major part of the CO2 reduction over the decade, with the former seeing a fall of 29 per cent, and sports cars dropping by 32 per cent. Petrol-powered vehicles, probably with the advent of auto-stop systems, smaller displacement and forced induction, produce 26 per cent fewer emissions now than at the start of the decade.

"Ten years ago there were only three low emission car models available to Australians. Today our car buyers can choose from 59 models that emit less than 120 grams of carbon dioxide for every kilometre they travel," said Retter.

"Of course not every Australian is choosing a low-emissions car. If every new car buyer chose the lowest emissions car available our national average emissions would improve by 50 per cent."

The NTC's research – based in part on information supplied by the FCAI – indicated that over 90 per cent of new-vehicle sales were made by 15 brands, of which BMW delivered the lowest corporate average emissions figure, and Jeep's was the worst. For Munich the figure was 151g/km, but the American off-road brand could only manage a figure as high as 222g/km.

Reflecting the stagnation of locally-manufactured vehicle design and development, Aussie cars were still producing 210g/km – the same figure since 2012.

During 2014, private buyers opted for the cleanest running cars, with an average figure of 182g/km. Business buyers were getting around in vehicles averaging 193g/km and government cars posted the worst result – at 207g/km.

In 2013, Australia's average CO2 emissions for the automotive sector had fallen to 192g/km (four grams higher than 2014's figure), but that was still 65 grams higher than the average for the European Union during the same year. previously the FCAI has indicated its our love affair with large cars and SUVs that has kept us from attaining low figures such as the EU has often done.