New car CO₂ emissions

Report contents: New car CO₂ emissions | Influences on new car CO₂ emissions | Total CO₂ and other emissions | Light Commercial Vehicle CO₂ emissions | Outlook for new car CO₂ emissions

Page contents: UK average new car CO₂ | Trends in new car CO₂ emissions | Trends by model | Trends by segment | Trends by fuel type | Trends by sales type | CO₂ emissions across the EU

The last five years have seen a dramatic change in the buying behaviour of UK motorists and consequently on the rate of CO₂ emission reduction. Since recession struck the UK in 2008, new car buyers have prioritised fuel efficiency more than ever and vehicle manufacturers have redoubled efforts to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions across all vehicle types.

Achieving 133.1g/km CO₂ in 2012 is testament to vehicle manufacturer R&D and to motorists who have embraced new technologies like never before. In the past five years alone the proportion of alternatively-fuelled vehicles registered has doubled. The industry has also cut 31.8g/km CO₂ off the average car’s emissions, a 20% improvement, and we’ve seen the share of sub-130g/km CO₂ cars (the level targeted by the EU for 2012-2015) go from just 10.6% of new cars in 2007 to more than 55% in 2012.

This report, and the 11 previous New Car CO₂ reports, provide a valuable annual snapshot and a detailed year-on-year log of the advances made by industry to meet environmental goals. The UK has played an important role in the worldwide development of ever cleaner technologies and, thanks to our engineering expertise, this is set to continue well into the future. Now, we need all parties to work together to deliver a thriving industry that continues to contribute to the improvement of the environment.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

Quarterly update

• Average UK new car CO₂ emissions stood at 133.1g/km in 2012, down 3.6% on 2011
• The average new car emitted 131.9g/km in Q4 2012, down 3.4% on a year ago

Quarterly UK new car CO₂ emissions, 2008-2012 (SMMT data)

UK average new car CO₂ emissions, 1997 – 2012 (SMMT data)

The recent rate of improvement follows across the board reductions from all sales types, segments and fuel types. This reflects manufacturers realising the benefits of long-term investment in lower CO₂ emitting technologies, in part designed to meet the EU New Car CO₂ Regulation which came into effect in 2012. Manufacturers have increased the choice to consumers of lower CO₂ emitting vehicles, across all vehicle types, and this has contributed to record shares of the market in low CO₂ vehicles. For example, 55% of the UK market in 2012 met the EU’s 2012-2015 target of 130g/km, up from 10.6% in 2007.

Efficiency and lower running costs have also become more important to consumers, following the recession, rise in fuel prices and changes to CO₂ based motoring taxes, such as the introduction of the first year Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rate. Manufacturers have competed to capitalise on this.

The market has seen a shift to diesels, which typically emit 10-20% less CO₂ than their petrol equivalents. Diesels took a record 50.8% share of the market in 2012. The introduction of more alternatively-fuelled vehicles (AFVs) helped these vehicle types record a 1.4% share of the market, after a 9.4% rise in volumes in 2012. Registrations of Mini and Supermini segments also rose in 2012, but so did demand for the Dual Purpose and Executive class vehicles, which curbed some of the progress on CO₂ reductions.

A new car emits around one fifth less CO₂ than the average car in use in the UK. The shift in composition of the vehicle parc to new, more efficient vehicles has contributed to total CO₂ emissions from all cars in use having fallen by 14% between 2000 and 2011. However, the decline in overall new car registrations since the recession has slowed the renewal rate of vehicles in the parc.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

UK average new car CO₂ emissions, EU targets to 2020 and average car in use figure

Each manufacturer must achieve further reductions in their own specific performance to meet the EU New Car CO₂ Regulation. By 2020 new cars in the EU must average 95g/km of CO₂. Achieving this target will require further gains in vehicle efficiency, through progress of traditional internal combustion engined (ICE) vehicles and the introduction of more AFVs. Manufacturers are investing in a range of technologies, including innovative powertrains as part of their effort to meet market demand and the EU Regulations.

To achieve the EU targets it will also be necessary to encourage consumers to adjust their vehicle choices towards even lower emitting vehicles. The CO₂ targets will be challenging to meet, especially if economic growth picks up and curbs consumer appetite for low-emitting vehicles. Encouraging behavioural change will require support from other stakeholders, notably government and fuel suppliers.

Government should also look to ensure that both industrial and environmental ambitions can be met and the UK automotive sector can grow whilst reducing CO₂ and contributing to economic growth. The sector also faces the challenges of delivering improvements in air quality, increased focus on life-cycle analysis, revisions to the fuel efficiency CO₂ test procedure and meeting the requirements of a global market.

• Average new car CO₂ emissions fell to 133.1g/km in 2012, down 3.6% on 2011.
• Emissions fallen continuously and were 26.5% below 2000 levels in 2012.
• 55.4% of the market had CO₂ emissions of 130g/km or below in 2012.
• Diesel cars took a record 50.8% share of new car market in 2012
• Alternatively-fuelled cars a record 1.4% share of 2012 market.
• Total CO₂ emissions from all cars in use fell 1.8 in 2011 on 2010 and 14% on 2000.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

Sources: All data SMMT unless otherwise stated (*DECC and ** DfT)

Key: CO₂ – carbon dioxide, g/km – grams per kilometre, MtCO₂ – million tonnes of carbon dioxide, Mn – million and Bn kms – billion kilometres

Data collation

SMMT CO₂ data is collated by SMMT’s Motor Vehicle Registration Information System (MVRIS) and links the vehicles’ CO₂ levels to the MVRIS new car registration database to create sales weighted figures. The CO₂ data is sourced from manufacturers’ own CO₂ figures (as supplied on the vehicle’s first registration document) and checked with type approval data from the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) to ensure accuracy.

Trends in new car CO₂ emissions

• Average new car CO₂ emissions fall 3.6% in 2012 and by 26.5% since 2000.
• New car market grew by 5.3% in 2012, but is still below pre-recession volumes.
• Private/fleet purchaser balance shifted since 2007, but little impact on market average CO₂ performance.
• Move to diesel and alternatively-fuelled vehicles in 2012.
• Market shift to small cars (eg Mini and Superminis) and niche vehicles (eg Dual Purpose).

The SMMT CO₂ database can be differentiated by a number of vehicle characteristics including make, model, engine variant, fuel type, sales type and market segment. In all these metrics average new car CO₂ emissions have fallen consistently.

Average new car CO₂ emissions

New car CO₂ emissions declined 3.6% in 2012 to a new low of 133.1g/km. There has been a step change in performance since 2008 – as shown in the table below – with the annual rate of reduction averaging 4.3% since 2008, compared with 1.4% between 2000 and 2007. The 2012 reduction was just below the 2008-2012 average. This table includes the 2020 EU target and the average rate of improvement this will require, for comparative purposes.

UK new car average CO₂ performance, 2000-2012, with EU target for 2020

The performance between 2008 and 2012 was not linear. Emissions fell by 5.4% in 2009 – the largest single annual fall. This corresponded with the recession and the introduction of the Scrappage Incentive Scheme. Cars registered through this scheme (of which three-quarters took place in 2009) had average CO₂ emissions some 10% below the market average and 30% below the vehicles they replaced.

The new car market has shifted into lower VED band vehicles, see charts below. In 2012 8.2% of the market was in the lowest VED band (A – up to 100g/km), up from 3.7% in 2011 and 0% in 2000. 55.4% of the 2012 market was in bands A to D, so emitted 130g/km or less CO₂, and so paid nothing under the first year VED rate. Band D (121-130gkm) become the most popular band in 2012, and accounted for 18.2% of the market. In 2011 band E (131-140g/km) was most popular, and between 2000 and 2007 it was band G (151-165g/km). Just 0.4% of the market in 2012 was in the top VED band, over 255g/km of CO₂, down from 0.6% in 2011 and 3.5% in 2007.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

New car market split by VED band (note all data split by current 13 band VED system)

Market trends – by model

Over time the market has moved into lower CO₂ bands, as evident in the chart below, which differentiates the market into four CO₂ bands. The sub 130g/km market has grown rapidly, such that over the half the market now sits in that band. The market for cars emitting 95g/km or below of CO₂ has picked up sharply over the past three years, moving from 17,252 units to 47,051 units – equivalent to 2.3% of the total market, in 2012. In 2007 only 523 cars were registered emitting 75g/km or less CO₂ and in 2000 none were.

Increased choice

Vehicle manufacturers have invested heavily to bring more efficient, lower CO₂ emitting vehicles to market. This is being undertaken to ensure manufacturers remain competitive, meet consumer expectations and deliver the EU New Car CO₂ Regulation targets.

Manufacturers have all lowered their CO₂ emissions over time and made continuous improvements in vehicle efficiency across all segment and model types. These improvements have come from significant R&D expenditure on technology in both internal combustion engines (ICE – petrol and diesel) and alternative power trains (electric, hybrid, etc), as well as improvements in aerodynamics, weight-saving, energy recovery systems and more efficient components.

Typically, the largest step changes are made when a new drivetrain is introduced, but incremental improvements, for example to engine management systems, can be made at other times.

Improvements in CO₂ performance have had to be achieved alongside measures to reduce emissions of other air pollutants and improve vehicle safety, performance, comfort, refinement and reliability. Some of these attributes are difficult to progress in unison. For example, some safety measures may increase weight or drag, which impact on CO₂ efficiency.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

Market trends – by segment

As an example of the continuous improvement in vehicle efficiency, the CO₂ performance of the UK’s best selling models over the past decade, the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus, have seen a 20-25% reduction in emissions of each model variant between 2000 and 2012. Therefore, if buyers did not change their buying habits over time they would still have benefitted from improved environmental performance. If consumers had moved from a petrol to diesel model they would have seen an even larger CO₂ saving. A shift to an alternatively-fuelled vehicle would also have enabled them to move to a lower CO₂ emitting variant.

SMMT’s CO₂ database can demonstrate how lower CO₂ emitting vehicles’ availability has increased. At a model variant level (eg at engine and specific trim level) the growth in low CO₂ emitting vehicles below certain CO₂ thresholds has increased, see table below for details. For example 2,425 variants (with at least one new registration) emitted 130g/km or less CO₂ in 2012, equivalent to 30% of the market. This was a 30% rise on the number in 2011 and five times the level in 2007.

Number of model variants by selected CO₂ bands (source: SMMT CO₂ database)

The growth in the number of cars emitting less than 100g/km – in the lowest band for VED, eligible for 100% writing down allowances and exempt from the London Congestion Charge – almost doubled in 2012 from 2011. 82% of these cars were traditional ICE vehicles. The lowest emitting diesel car in 2012 was the Hyundai i20 with emissions of 84g/km.

The lowest emitting petrol car was the Fiat 500, with 89g/km CO₂ emissions. Compared with the lowest emitting diesel and petrol car in 2000, these vehicles have cut emissions by 25.7% and 23.7% respectively.

Cars emitting less than 75g/km are alternatively-fuelled vehicles, such as pure electric vehicles (PEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and range extender electric vehicles (EREVs). Pure EVs emit zero emissions from the tailpipe. The best selling pure EV in 2012 was the Nissan LEAF. The Toyota Prius Plug-in emits 49g/km of CO₂ and the range extender Vauxhall Ampera and Chevrolet Volt models emit 27g/km of CO₂.

Petrol/electric hybrids typically have CO₂ emissions up to 30% below their petrol or diesel equivalents. For example, the Toyota Yaris hybrid emits just 79g/km, compared with 104g/km for the lowest diesel Yaris in 2012. Diesel/electric hybrids appeared for the first time in the UK market in 2012. They have CO₂ emissions up to 20% below their ICE equivalent; the Peugeot 508 hybrid has CO₂ emissions of just 95g/km, compared with 104g/km for the lowest diesel Peugeot 508 variant.

Trends in UK new car market

The new car market in 2012 rose by 5.3% on 2011 volumes to 2.045 million units. This rise, coupled with falling demand in mainland Europe, contributed to the UK becoming the second largest volume market in Europe, behind Germany and having overtaken France.

UK new car registrations, rolling year total, 2007-2012

The 2012 new car market remained some 15% or over 400,000 units below the 2007 pre-recession market. The recession resulted in a sharp reduction in new car demand. The full year market has trended around two million units since 2009, although on a rolling 12-month basis the performance has been more volatile and supported in 2009 and 2010 by the Scrappage Incentive Scheme. Almost 400,000 cars were registered through the scrappage scheme.

The scrappage scheme and squeezed household incomes helped demand for Mini/Supermini type vehicles rise, and for higher CO₂ emitting vehicles to fall. This led to exceptional rates of reduction in average new car CO₂ emissions in 2008 and 2009.

Market trends – by sales type

The overall new car market in 2012 grew after a 12.9% rise in private registrations. Private demand at the end of 2012 was 10% or 120,000 units above levels SMMT expected at the start of the year. The growth is likely to reflect market-specific factors, given the wider economic setting. Pent-up demand from past buyer cycles and a switch from used to new activity are likely to have been encouraged by attractive deals and offers from manufacturers, supported by exchange rate movements and the weakness of sales in mainland Europe.

Private buyers tend to buy smaller cars, Supermini and Mini segment vehicles, compared with fleet buyers. These vehicles tend to be petrol engined due to the size, cost and performance characteristics which influence private buyers’ decisions. Given private buyers have a lower annual mileage compared with fleet drivers, they are less likely to benefit from the higher MPG typically associated with diesel-powered cars.

With this mix of vehicle type/fuel type performance, the average new car CO₂ emissions of private and fleet buyers are broadly equal. The average CO₂ emissions of cars registered to private buyers was 134.4g/km in 2012, 1.8% above that of fleet buyers’ 132.0g/km. The shift to private buyers will therefore have reduced the overall rate of improvement in CO₂ emissions from the market total in 2012. Private average new car CO₂ emissions in 2012 were 23.8% down on 2000 and 3.6% 2011 levels; by comparison the average for fleet buyers was down 26.2% and 3.8% respectively.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

Average new car CO₂ emissions by sales type, 2001-2012 (SMMT)

The shift in the market between fuel types and segmentation (as defined by SMMT’s MVRIS – Motor Vehicle Registration Information System) shows how the market has migrated towards more efficient vehicles. Diesels and AFVs, which are lower CO₂ emitting than equivalent petrol cars, took a record share of the market in 2012. Small cars (Mini and Supermini segments) also saw growth in volumes in 2012, supported by new model activity.

Performance by segment type

SMMT’s MVRIS divides the market into nine different segments, relating to the vehicle’s size, body style and drivetrain. These segments are listed in the table, below. This shows segments A – D have average CO₂ emissions below the market average. It also shows how the market has moved from segments C and D (typically family saloons/hatchbacks) towards smaller cars in the Mini and Supermini segments and niche products, like the Dual Purpose segment. In 2012, the market growth in the Mini segment was supported by the new VW up! (and equivalent models from SEAT and Skoda), and the Dual Purpose segment growth followed strong sales of the Range Rover Evoque. The shift to small cars benefitted average new car CO₂ performance, but was in part offset by the market shift to niche segments.

All segments have seen their average CO₂ emissions fall. This follows improvements across the board from new models and variants. The biggest percentage reductions since 2000 have come from segments seeing a switch to diesel powered models, in the Executive and Dual Purpose segments. Similarly fuel switching influenced the 2012 versus 2011 performance. The Upper Medium segment, which saw the largest reduction in average emissions over the year, saw AFVs take a relatively large 2.4% share of the segment. In segments such as Dual Purpose there has also been a downsizing as new models have been introduced. For example, in 1997 the Land Rover Discovery was the best selling Dual Purpose model, in 2000 it was the smaller Freelander and in 2012 the Evoque range. Use of smaller capacity engines in this, and other segments, can also help reduce CO₂ emissions.

CO₂ reductions in the Mini and Supermini segments have been constrained by the lower price and physical size of the models not lending themselves to dieselisation or hybridisation – although such variants are available. These smaller vehicles also tend to cover lower mileages and so their users are less likely to benefit from a shift away from petrol to other fuels which may be more efficient.

The relative size of the Supermini, Lower Medium and Upper Medium segments will mean these are important in reducing overall new car CO₂ emissions. Encouraging a shift to more efficient variants of all models would contribute towards lowering emissions of the fleet.

The range and choice available in each segment ensures vehicles fit for the consumer’s individual purpose are available. In every segment low CO₂ emitting choices are available, as seen in the following chart. This shows the range of CO₂ emissions models in each segment have, with the box highlighting where the middle 50%, by volume, of the market sits. The red line shows the UK average. If the lowest emitting model in each segment was the only vehicle bought in 2012, then emissions would have been some 80% lower than actual, at 26.8g/km and if the lowest traditional petrol or diesel model was chosen they would have been over 30% lower at 92g/km. These lowest emitting models however may not be fit for purpose for every buyer type, as issues of cost, availability, load/practicality and such like will also influence the type of car chosen by the consumer. Certain products will be necessary for particular consumer needs, eg requirements for space, load capacity or off-road ability. Typically, some of the higher-emitting models are used less frequently and so do not contribute significantly to overall emissions from cars in use.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

Market trends – by fuel type

Diesel fuelled cars typically have CO₂ emissions some 10-20% lower than an equivalent petrol car, and alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) would tend to have emissions below either. The change in the market structure towards diesels and more recently to AFVs has helped change the market’s CO₂ level.

The table below compares the lowest emitting diesel and petrol variant of the best selling model in each segment. These show diesels have lower emitting variants than petrol (although it does not compare other characteristics, eg power/performance or vehicle specification in terms of trim level etc). Compared with the 2011 data (as shown in last year’s report), the variants have all mostly seen reductions in emissions of their lowest emitting petrol and diesel variants, sometimes in the order of 10g/km or more, and the gap between the petrol and diesel variant has fallen.

Comparison of lowest CO₂-emitting diesel and petrol variant of best seller in each segment in 2012 (SMMT)

In 2011, the share of diesel cars rose above that of petrol cars for the first time and in 2012 it rose to a new high of 50.8%, after a 5.8% increase in diesel registrations. Diesel cars accounted for 14.1% of the market in 2000 and 40.2% in 2007. Diesel share has risen due to the increased availability, refinement and development of diesel technology, as well as consumers’ preference for enhanced fuel efficiency.

Diesel share of the UK new car market, 2000-2012 (SMMT)

The growth in private demand and in small cars during 2012 limited the growth in the diesel market, given the diesel share in the Supermini segment is below 20% and Mini segment just 1.1%. Diesel uptake in the Dual Purpose, Executive and Upper Medium segments was over 85% in 2012. The different structures of the petrol and diesel markets have led to the registration-weighted average CO₂ emissions of petrol and diesel cars being very similar.

Diesel share is not expected to change significantly in the short-term, due to vehicle and fuel price differences between diesel and petrol, constraints on diesel fuel refining capacity, the market structure and concerns that diesel vehicle costs may rise to comply with tougher future Euro emission standards. The enhanced efficiency of other types of vehicles may also curb further demand for diesel cars.

Registrations of alternatively-fuelled vehicles

New car CO₂ emissions and registrations by fuel type (AFV = alternatively-fuelled vehicle)

AFV registrations rose by 9.4% in 2012 to a record 27,841 units. They have risen by 67% since 2007, following the introduction of new models and also new types of AFVs. Their market share rose to 1.4% in 2012, up from 1.3% in 2011, 0.7% in 2007 and 0.02% in 2000.

Petrol/electric hybrids represented 85% of the 2012 AFV market. It has taken almost a decade to reach volumes of 23,616 units. Toyota/Lexus accounted for 82% of the petrol/electric market in 2012. The new hybrid Toyota Yaris was key to the growth in 2012.

Pure electric car registrations rose 16.6% to 1,262 units in 2012. The Nissan LEAF accounted for 55% of this sector.

2012 also saw the sale of the extended-range electric Vauxhall Ampera and Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius Plug-in, as well as diesel/electric hybrids available in the market for the first time. AFVs are now available in every segment, so meeting the needs of more consumers. AFV demand remains constrained by the relatively high initial purchase price of products, uncertainty over residual values and buyer caution over new technologies (eg range of electric vehicles). These issues will need to be overcome to enable wider market uptake.

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.

Market trends – Average new car CO₂ emissions across the EU

UK made greater progress than across the EU

Average new car CO₂ emissions in the UK remain above those in the EU, but have converged by falling at a faster rate since 2000. In 2011, the average across the EU15 was 135.1g/km and in the UK 138.1g/km. Emissions in both the EU and UK have seen a step change in performance since 2007.

The European Commission monitors performance at an EU level – see Road transport: Reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles. Portugal has the lowest CO₂ emissions in the EU, 11% below the UK’s at 122.8g/km, closely followed by Denmark, Holland, Belgium and France. Germany has the highest average CO₂ emissions, over 5% above those in the UK at 145.6g/km.

Average new car CO₂ emissions in the EU15 (g/km) – source EC

UK emissions remain above the EU’s due to different market structures. Registrations in some of the lowest CO₂ emitting markets are focused in the small car (Mini and Supermini) segments or where diesel cars take an above average market share.

Diesel penetration in the UK was 50.6% in 2011, compared with 56.1% in the EU15. In some countries diesel share is over 80%. Local taxes will influence the type of vehicle registered, such as fuel duty which in the EU is typically 23% lower for diesel than petrol, whilst in the UK the rates are the same.

Fuel duty rate – UK and EU27 (Source ACEA Tax Guide, at January 2012)

If you wish to read the report offline, click here to download the SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2013 as a PDF. If you would like to continue reading online, use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between the different sections of the 2013 report.