Australia’s first on-road vehicle emissions test program show vehicles are using up to 60% more fuel on the road than in Government-mandated laboratory tests.
This is raising serious concerns about the information provided to consumers and casting doubts over Government claims motorists will save on fuel costs as a result of proposals to introduce tougher vehicle emissions standards.
Seventeen out of 30 vehicles have been tested on Australian roads under the program commissioned by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal.
The results reveal real-world fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are up to 60% higher than claimed on the Government’s mandated Fuel Consumption Label and 25% higher on average.
The latest results also show on-road noxious gas emissions up to eight times the legal limit.
“These results are bad news for Australian consumers looking for good information on which to base their car buying decisions,” AAA chief executive Michael Bradley says.
“They also place a huge question mark over the fuel and cost savings the Government is offering Australians under its proposals to introduce tougher vehicle emissions restrictions,” he says.
“Our test results are a warning to Australians to take the Government’s promises of fuel and cost savings with a grain of salt, and expect those savings to be significantly less than what’s promised.”
Bradley says the on-road testing is further evidence that assumptions upon which the Government is basing its vehicle emissions reductions proposals are flawed. That may end up costing Australians more than necessary and deliver less to the environment than promised, he says.
“The AAA does not shy away from the fact that Australian motorists must make a fair contribution to improving Australia’s environmental performance. But emissions policy must deliver for the environment at the least cost to motorists and the economy.”
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