The SMMT produce lots of interesting figures regarding all aspects of the car industry and one that’s taken my eye is the comparison between the Co2 that the cars we drive today, compared to what it was like 10 years ago in 1997.
In 1997, over 77% of the cars being sold produced over 166g/km emissions. 10 years later, over 70% of cars today produce less than 165g/km “what a turn round”.
In 1997 only 7.8% of the cars being sold produced less than 150g/km, today 50% of the cars we buy produce less than 150g/km.
In 1997 there was not a single car available that produced less than 120g/km, but today (already) around 11% of the cars we buy produce less than 120g/km.
To impress you further, by just what the industry has achieved, I have picked a prestigious brand of car for an example, a brand that’s thought of as pretty quick and perhaps even “The Ultimate Driving Machine”
Now you might think this is a fairy story, so should I start it with “once upon a time”?
You can buy a 163bhp 4 door saloon with a top speed of almost 140mph, a 0-62mph of around 8 seconds, a combined fuel consumption of 68.9mpg and a Co2 of just 109g/km.
BMW’s 320D Efficient Dynamics Saloon is indicative of what’s going on out there ok, it’s BMW (but it could easily be a car from another manufacturer).
I seem to be constantly defending the car manufacturers and the work they are doing to reduce the emissions on the cars they make and the example above shows you how far they have come. Headlines never tell you what’s been achieved, as banging the motorist and the car he drives, along with the people who make the car, has become a tabloid obsession.
Fact is, using new innovations such as “start-stop” technology, low rolling resistance tyres, lightweight engineering, Active Aerodynamics. Even low friction fluids, oils etc and electric power steering (rather than a pump off the engine), have all played their part in achieving this and it doesn’t stop there as developments such as “break energy regeneration” systems are already being employed by car makers (similar to KERS on a F1 car).
So put your mind at rest, knowing that even if today, you don’t drive the cleanest or greenest car around, next time you change your car, you will probably start saving the planet and as a bonus, reduce your fuel costs also.
