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Big firms leading way with CO2 emissions
Date: 28 March 2011 | Author: Rachel Burgess
Businesses with more than 25 cars continue to lead the way with CO2 emissions, recording the lowest figures according to the SMMT's annual CO2 report.
In 2010, 25-plus fleets had average new-car emissions of 143.5g/km, compared with private sales at 144.8g/km. Small firms with less than 25 cars were the worst offenders with average CO2 at 146.9g/km, meaning that overall their drivers pay more benefit-in-kind tax (19%) than their bigger counterparts (18%).
However, while small companies are not the most environmentally friendly, they have seen the biggest drop since 2001, decreasing CO2 by 24.7% from 195g/km. From 2009 to 2010, it declined by 4.7% from 154.2g/km. Since 2001 large firms fell by 18.2% from 175.4g/km, and by 4.8% from 150.8g/km compared with the previous year.
The report commented that company car drivers tend to average a higher annual mileage, so "have a greater propensity to use a more efficient car". However, "due to the nature of their business, high mileage company cars tend to be upper medium or larger-sized vehicles, rather than smaller cars like superminis".
Talking about improving emissions, the New Car CO2 Report 2011 said that increasingly, the more efficient vehicles require alternative fuels, which require a new refuelling infrastructure.
"Policy makers can help greatly by providing the right framework to encourage the provision and take-up of these lower CO2-emitting vehicles, whether through taxation, information provision or own-fleet procurement, ensuring a robust economic setting enabling consumers to feel empowered to buy new low CO2-emitting cars," it continued.
In the meantime, the SMMT?advises better journey planning, which many fleets are now undertaking. This includes looking at alternatives as well as reducing mileage, encouraging the use of satnav to achieve this aim.
The report also echoes ACFO's recents demands to ditch the 3% diesel surcharge to benefit-in-kind taxation: "This would align with a technology-neutral approach and reflect current Euro standards in which emissions of particulates have already been significantly tightened (the surcharge was originally said to reflect concerns about other emissions from diesels)."
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