The National Transport Commission (NTC) has found that carbon emissions intensity from new vehicles in 2017 were slightly better than for 2016
Chief Executive of the NTC, Paul Retter said the Carbon Emissions Intensity for New Australian Light Vehicles report revealed there was a 0.3 per cent reduction between 2016 and 2017.
“This is the lowest annual reduction in carbon emissions intensity since 2002 when records of this type began,” Mr Retter said.
“The national average carbon emissions intensity from new passenger and light commercial vehicles was 181.7 g/km in 2017.”
He said that excluding light commercial vehicles, the average for new passenger vehicles only was 171.5 g/km.
By comparison he said, in Europe it was 118.5 g/km for the same period.
“Australians continue to show a preference for SUVs and utes in the 1.15 million light vehicles sold last year which have higher emissions than smaller or greener alternatives,” Mr Retter said.
“If all Australians who purchased a new vehicle in Australia had purchased ones with best-in-class emissions, the national average carbon emissions intensity would have been reduced by 58 per cent to 76g/km.”
He said that despite being small in overall numbers, the take up of electric vehicles rose by 77 per cent in 2017 reaching a record of 2,424 vehicles sold for the calendar year.
The NTC report noted there were now 97 models of ‘green’ vehicles available in Australia, up from 51 in 2016.
It defines a ‘green’ car as a vehicle with an emissions intensity at or below 120 g/km.
The report also found that the reasons for Australians choosing higher intensity light vehicles compared with Europe included consumer preference, a lower proportion of diesel-powered engines, relatively lower fuel prices and fewer Government incentives for lower emissions vehicles.
