Environmental groups are calling on the European Commission to block a planned German car CO2 label that gives gas guzzling SUVs such as the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 the same ‘green’ rating as some of Europe’s most fuel efficient car models.
[mailchimp_signup][/mailchimp_signup]The Bundesrat, the country’s upper house of parliament, will vote tomorrow (Friday 8 July) on a CO2 labelling law for cars that bases green labels on the ratio of weight to CO2 emissions.
Arne Richters of Transport & Environment said:
“The German car industry has persuaded its government to produce a green label that would put the Panzer tank in the same fuel efficiency category as a Smart car. The industry are treating their customers with contempt by conning them into thinking their gas guzzling SUVs are green.”
The proposed German label puts the German government on a collision course with the European Commission as a 1999 EU law prohibits car labelling ‘if their display might cause confusion to potential consumers of new passenger cars’ (1).
Richters said: “The German government should go back to the drawing board and then come forward with a new law on labelling to give consumers a much clearer picture of how polluting a car is, and how much it will cost at the pump.”
Proposed Label C
Land Rover Discovery – 244g CO2/km – 2650kg
Toyota IQ – 99g CO2/km – 920kg
Proposed Label E
Audi Q7 – 298g CO2/km – 2710kg
Fiat Panda – 119g CO2/km – 915kg
Smart Mhd – 103g CO2/km – 750kg
Panzer Tank(!) – 5850g CO2/km – 62,000 kg
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