Australia still a nation of gas-guzzlers

Australia is still a nation of gas-guzzlers even though new data shows tailpipe emissions have fallen to their lowest since records were first calculated 10 years ago. Small-car specialist Suzuki topped the latest car emissions study while Jeep ranked last among the Top 15 brands.

Figures released by the National Transport Commission show the average emissions for all new cars sold last year fell to 192 grams per kilometre compared to 252g/km in 2002.

But our cars are still pumping out 45 per cent more carbon-dioxide compared to those in Europe (132g/km) and we’re not far behind the gas-guzzling capital of the world: North America (231g/km).

Although small cars and SUVs have overtaken the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon as our family favourites, Australians have been relatively slow to adopt more efficient vehicles because we are the fourth cheapest developed country in the world for petrol and the sixth cheapest for diesel.

“There’s no doubt that one of the biggest factors that drives the European result is their substantially higher fuel taxation,” said the executive director of the Australian Automobile Association, Andrew McKellar.

For example, the petrol price average in the UK last year was 217.3 cents per litre compared to 146.6 cents per litre in Australia. Fuel excise in Australia is also among the cheapest in the world: 38.1 cents per litre versus the UK’s 59.3 cents per litre.

“Australian car buyers still tend to favour size, power and performance over fuel economy,” said Mr McKellar. However, the study should not be a “black mark” for motorists because Australians are more reliant on the motor vehicle.

“In Europe, when you want to travel between cities it’s not uncommon to catch a high-speed train,” said Mr McKellar. “Australia obviously doesn’t have that network so we depend more on cars, and ones that can be driven comfortably over long distances.”

The NTC figures also reveal private buyers are doing more to save the planet than are government and businesses. The average emissions of vehicles bought by private buyers last year was 186g/km compared to 198g/km for businesses and 210g/km for government fleets.

This is partly because government purchasing policies have favoured Australian-made vehicles, which aren’t as efficient as equivalently-sized imported cars.

Toyota has the most efficient locally-made cars, with the Camry and Aurion sedans producing an average of 179g/km, ahead of the Ford Falcon sedan and Territory SUV (213g/km).

Despite manufacturing the Cruze small car alongside the Commodore, Holden’s emissions were the highest of the local makers (237g/km), according to the report.

Indeed, none of Australia’s three manufacturers figured in the Top 10 list of the most efficient car brands.

Top honours went to small car specialist Suzuki, whose average fleet emissions was 158g/km, ahead of BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.

Toyota, Ford and Holden ranked in the bottom of the Top 15 brands, with Jeep ranked highest among the group (226g/km).

Toyota may have the largest hybrid model range but it was penalised by its high proportion of commercial vehicles and SUVs.

Meanwhile the locally-made Ford and Holden six-cylinder cars outweighed the improvements in with their imported four-cylinder cars.

The study covered only the Top 15 brands as they represented 92 per cent of vehicles sold in Australia in 2013.

Meanwhile, Australia’s regulations for carbon dioxide vehicle emissions lag European standards by more than six years.

The latest “Euro 5” rules, as they are known, aren’t due to be enforced in Australia until November 2016; they were introduced in Europe in September 2010.

Europe is targeting even stricter standards by 2015 (to an average emissions rating of 130 g/km) before limboing to just 95 g/km in 2020.

The European target for light commercial vehicles such as utes and vans are 175 g/km in 2017 and 147 g/km in 2020.

The Top 15 most efficient car brands in Australia

Suzuki 158 g/km
BMW 158 g/km
Volkswagen 162 g/km
Mercedes 165 g/km
Hyundai 175 g/km
Honda 176 g/km
Subaru 181 g/km
Mazda 184 g/km
Kia 184 g/km
Mitsubishi 191 g/km
National average 192 g/km
Toyota 203 g/km
Ford 205 g/km
Nissan 209 g/km
Holden 212 g/km
Jeep 226 g/km

Average CO2 emissions by brand in 2013.
Source: National Transport Commission

This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling