Volvo last night revealed a proposal for a new three-point plan aimed at expanding the range of emissions information provided to motorists when purchasing a new car. The Swedish car maker believes it is time to stop looking at CO2 emissions in isolation and expand a labelling system to include other harmful emissions such as NOx, Hydrocarbons, and Particulates.
The Three-point Proposal
- The launch of an automotive air pollutants environmental label to sit alongside the already established CO2 label displayed in new and used car showrooms.
- To launch a phone/PC App, which gives drivers access to total emissions information when visiting a new or used car showroom.
- Setting up the Emissions Equality Think Tank to help put air quality to the forefront of peoples’ minds on a continued basis.
It’s difficult to argue against the plan as research has suggested that these emissions affect immediate air quality and health.
The comparison between larger Volvo estate and saloon models against a selection of small cars makes for interesting reading. A Volvo V70 estate 2.5 petrol manual generates 201mg/km of non-CO2 pollutants, compared with the 1.4 litre Fiat 500 Start Stop which, counter intuitively, at 484mg/km, generates more than twice as many other pollutants.
Similarly, a Volvo S80 1.6D DRIVe executive saloon generates 636mg/km of non-CO2 pollutants – around 5% fewer than the 1.3-litre Toyota Yaris diesel supermini (679mg/100km).
“In 1976 Volvo was the first on the market with the three way catalytic converter with oxygen sensor which removes up to 90 per cent of noxious exhaust emissions and was the first company to sign up to the 1992 Kyoto Treaty on Climate Change,” explained Peter Rask, Volvo Car UK’s Managing Director
“Over many decades Volvo has been committed to designing and engineering cars that are kind on the environment and its drivers. Our cars perform very well in all tailpipe emissions and some, but not all, are best-in-class. However, this is more about encouraging greater transparency in the automotive industry across all emissions,”
“This isn’t about reducing the focus on CO2, our campaign is about all drivers being given easy access to the complete set of pollutants information so they can make a more informed decision when they buy a new or used car,” he added.
Do you agree with the Volvo proposal, should “non-CO2 pollutants” be highlighted on new cars much in the same way as CO2 emissions now are? As always if you have a view to share, please use the comments box below.
