Archived press release

Green cars: motor industry still promoting gas-guzzlers

30 March 2007

The Government and motor industry must do much more to promote fuel efficient cars, Friends of the Earth said today. The call follows a new survey by the environmental campaign group which reveals that most car ads in national newspapers are for gas-guzzling vehicles. It coincides with the opening of The Sexy Green Car Show [1], at the Eden Project in Cornwall (30 March - 15 April 2006).

Friends of the Earth's survey (below) exposes motor industry claims that it produces greener cars but “the problem is that motorists do not buy them!” [2], and highlights one of the reasons why the motor industry is set to miss its voluntary target for selling more fuel-efficient vehicles [3]. The new ad figures show no improvement since a similar survey 18 months ago.

The motor industry is also lobbying strongly against EU plans to introduce new mandatory targets to cut emissions from new cars. As a result of this lobbying, the European Commission has now proposed an even weaker target than one agreed 12 years ago. But the motor industry complains that this weaker target is still to tough.

Friends of the Earth's senior transport campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said:

“The motor industry says that it is concerned about climate change, yet most of its adverts are still for gas-guzzling vehicles. It's little wonder that the industry has failed to meet its voluntary target for selling greener cars. The industry should spend less time and money lobbying against targets to cut carbon emissions from its products, and more time and money into building and promoting greener cars”.

“Ministers must do more to encourage motorists to buy greener cars. Last week's announcement of a modest increase in road tax for gas-guzzling vehicles was a small step in the right direction. But the Government must go much further to substantially cut carbon dioxide emissions from cars.”

Friends of the Earth Survey

Friends of the Earth analysed car adverts placed in national newspapers over a two week period [5] leading up to the new car registration release earlier this month, and discovered that over half (55%) were for cars in the most polluting VED bands E to G - cars that emit over 165 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g/km CO2) [6]. The figures show no improvement since Friends of the Earth carried out similar research in September 2005 when it was found that 57.6 % of car adverts were for vehicles with emissions over 165g/km. The European Commission has recently acknowledged that car advertising is promoting the trend towards bigger and more powerful cars [7]

The survey results come days after the Chancellor of the Exchequer once again failed to raise Vehicle Excise Duty (VED, or road tax) significantly across the board to encourage motorists to buy fuel-efficient cars rather than gas-guzzlers, but did nearly double the tax on the worst gas-guzzlers [8]. This move was condemned by the motor industry as “green posturing” and “gesture politics at its most cynical” [9].

Carbon dioxide emissions from road transport have risen by nearly seven per cent since 1990 and currently account for over 21% of total UK emissions. They are forecast to rise by a further 18% between 2005 and 2020, when they will represent over 26% of total UK emissions.

The cost of motoring has fallen in real terms by over eightper cent under Labour, while the cost of public transport has risen: bus faresby 14% and rail fares by five per cent [10].

Friends of the Earth wants the Government to ensure that its Climate Change Bill sets targets for cutting UK carbon dioxide emissions by at least three per cent every year [11].

Friends of the Earth is calling for

• The Government to increase road tax on gas-guzzling vehicles, and cut it further for more fuel efficient models;
• The EU to set tougher mandatory fuel-efficiency standards for cars sold in Europe;
• The motor industry to face up to its environmental responsibilities and do more to promote fuel-efficient vehicles.

Notes

1. www.edenproject.com/2538.html

2. Societyof Motor Manufacturers and Traders press release 07/02/07

3. The motor industry is set to fail to meet its a voluntary target, agreed with the EU, that that on average new cars sold in the EU in 2008/9 should emit no more than 140 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g/km CO2). Latest figures show that In the UK, average emissions of new cars sold in 2006 were 167.2g/km CO2. In 2005, the UK had the fourth highest average emissions of the EU15 countries. To meet the 2008 target in the UK, average emissions from new cars must fall by more in the next two years than they have in the last nine years. Average emissions from new cars sold in the EU in 2005 were 162g/km CO2.

4. The EU has now proposed weak mandatory targets. By 2012 its says that new cars sold in Europe must on average emit no more than 130 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g/km CO2). (about 51 mg for a petrol car, 58 for diesel). This is considerably weaker than a target the EU set in the mid 1990s calling for new cars to emit on average 120g/km by 2012.

i) 96% per cent of ads were for cars that breach the current voluntary target

ii) 97% per cent were for cars that are more polluting than the2012 mandatory target

5. Daily newspapers were The Times, Guardian, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, The Sun, Daily Star, Independent, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Mail. Sunday newspapers were Sunday Times, The Observer, Sunday Telegraph, News of the World, Daily Star, Independent on Sunday, Sunday Mirror, Sunday People, Sunday Express and Mail on Sunday.

Friends of the Earth estimates that the ads amounted to nearly £5.5 millionworth of advertising space over a two week period, of which around £3 millionwas spent on gas guzzlers.

6. VED Bands E to G cover cars that emit over 165g/km CO₂. More information on VED bands can be found at www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk

7. Impact Assessment accompanying the European Commission's Communication on reducing CO2 emissions and improve fuel efficiency from cars section 1.2.2 (PDF)

8. Friends of the Earth's VED demands were:

Band A £0

Band B £0

Band C £100

Band D £300

Band E £700

Band F £1200

Band G £2000

9. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders press release 21/03/07

10. Parliamentary Written Answer by Transport Minister Gillian Merron MP on 14/12/06

11.The campaign for a Climate Change Bill has been led by Friends of the Earth through The Big Ask climate campaign. Setting annual targets for cutting emissions would ensure that tackling climate change was at the heart of every Government policy. See www.thebigask.com

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust