BMW is the latest in a string of carmakers to fall foul of advertising rules relating to environmental claims as the industry cracks down on misleading claims.
Industry overseer, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that a press ad for BMW’s concept ActiveE electric vehicle was misleading as it claimed the car produces ‘0% emissions’. The ad which read that the car offers ‘electrifying performance and zero CO2 emissions when driving’ broke advertising rules relating to the substantiation and environmental claims.
While the carmaker argued that the car produces no tailpipe emissions, its reliance on electricity means that the car is still likely to be recharged from the National Grid, where most of the power is produced from fossil fuels.
The industry has recently been given new advertising guidelines to help carmakers produce accurate advertisements (see story) and make fair environmental claims. BMW meanwhile has been instructed not to use the advert again in its current form.
