Motorists struggling to pay the rising cost of filling their tanks have been given some sound advice on how to save money and the environment using the new energy efficiency labelling scheme.
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the national energy agency, said that on average, new cars bought in 2007 cost the consumer €1,626 in fuel at today’s prices and emitted 3.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum.
The agency has created a new ‘web tool’ to help consumers make “responsible and sensible” choices when buying a car.
The average car in 2007 had a rating of 164g CO2/km and would be classified as ‘D’ under the new labelling system for vehicles, introduced as part of a reform of the vehicle registration tax scheme.
Band ‘A’ represents the lowest CO2 emitting cars, which will attract reduced VRT, while band ‘G’, the highest CO2-emitting vehicle, attracts much higher tax and VRT rates from July 1st.
SEI said its analysis of new private cars bought in 2007 shows that 65 per cent of CO2 emissions from new cars were from those in the label categories ‘D’ to ‘G’.
Less than 1 per cent of cars purchased in 2007 fell into the ‘A’ label category of lowest emitting vehicles.
By purchasing an ‘A’ rated car rather than the ‘average’ car, consumers can make annual CO2 savings of between 0.85 and 1.1 tonnes depending on fuel type, SEI said.
SEI chairman Brendan Halligan said it was time for consumers to make “responsible and sensible choices when choosing a new car”.
“Private car fuel consumption more than doubled (119 per cent increase) during the period 1990-2006 while the overall transport sector is the largest fuel consumer accounting for one third of all energy use in Ireland,” he said.
“There is significant potential for car owners to reduce CO2 emissions based on their car purchase decisions and at the same time achieve fuel costs savings. The bands introduced as part of the revised VRT system provide consumers with clear guidance as to the most fuel efficient and lowest CO2 emitting cars and demonstrate both the financial and environmental benefits that can be achieved through informed individual purchasing decisions."
The SEI calculator is available at www.sei.ie/howcleanisyourcar