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Vehicles & the Environment
The Department is responsible for managing policy and standards development on vehicle emissions, vehicle noise and fuel consumption labelling.
The Department provides input on fuel quality issues and manages the environmental criteria for the fuel tax credit for heavy diesel vehicle operators.
The Department also hosts and manages the Green Vehicle Guide website.
Light Vehicle CO2 Emissions Standards Discussion Paper
The Australian Government is seeking industry and community views on its discussion paper examining carbon dioxide emissions standards for new light vehicles. The CO2 standards will complement the Government’s carbon price and help reduce carbon emissions from cars, SUVs and light commercials.
Comments on the discussion paper were due by 30 November 2011, but the comment period was extended to 9 December 2011.
Green Vehicle Guide
The Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) website provides information about the environmental performance of new light vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) sold in Australia since mid-2004. It is updated regularly as new models come onto the market and contains detailed information to helps consumers identify the performance of individual vehicle models. Information provided for each vehicle helps consumers compare the level of emissions of different vehicles and consequently their impact on the environment.
The information includes:
- A Greenhouse Rating derived from a vehicle’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions value. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas emitted by motor vehicles. The level of CO2 emissions is linked to the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle, and the type of fuel used.
- An Air Pollution Rating based on the level of air pollutant emissions allowable under the standard to which the particular vehicle has been successfully tested for supply to the Australian market.
- An Overall Rating based on the sum of the air pollution and greenhouse ratings. Equal weighting is given to both these ratings to arrive at a combined GVG rating (out of 20), which then is translated into the star rating.
- Fuel consumption figures quoted in litres/100km derived from ADR81/02 Fuel Consumption Labelling for Light Vehicles. Fuel consumption is measured in accordance with defined procedures and ADR81/02 requires that a fuel consumption label is affixed to the windscreens of new vehicles prior to their first supply to the market.
Green Vehicle Guide “Stage 3” Ratings Discussion Paper
A discussion paper was prepared by the Department proposing a revised ‘Stage 3’ set of ratings for vehicles listed on the Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) website. Comments on the proposed ratings closed on 22 July 2011.
The intention of the revised ratings is to enable consumers to continue to compare the relative environmental performance of new vehicles, consistent with improvements in the environmental performance of the vehicle fleet.
Click here for further information about the proposed new ratings.
Australian Design Rules and the Environment
Motor vehicles are a significant contributor to urban air pollution and noise in our major cities. More information on air pollution can be found at the website of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Air quality improvement mechanisms include the control and reduction of emissions from motor vehicles. Since the first emission controls for motor vehicles were introduced in the early 1970s, the emission limits have been progressively tightened. Over the last 10 years in particular there have been improvements in a number of air quality indicators, and it is generally accepted that the increasing proportion of vehicles meeting tighter emission standards has played a major part in these air quality improvements. There are also community concerns regarding vehicle noise.
To date, the principal measure used in Australia for reducing vehicle emissions and noise has been the through the introduction of tighter emission standards for new vehicles through the Australian Design Rules (ADRs).
The Australian Government develops new vehicle emissions, noise and fuel consumption labelling standards via the determination of ADRs. These ADRs are made under Section 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 and set the standards that each vehicle model is required to meet, prior to their first supply to the market. The full text of all ADRs is available on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments, and this site can be accessed from the numerical ADR list. The current ADRs addressing emissions, noise and fuel consumption labelling are:
- ADR30/01—Smoke Emission Control for Diesel Vehicles
- ADR79/02—Emission Control for Light Vehicles
- ADR80/03—Emission Control for Heavy Vehicles
- ADR81/02—Fuel Consumption Labelling for Light Vehicles
- ADR83/00—External Noise
Click here for further information about Vehicle Noise issues.
Click here for further information about the Fuel Consumption Label.
In-Service Emissions
State and territory governments are responsible for standards governing the emissions performance of vehicles once they are on the road (in-service). However, the Australian Government undertook a number of studies in the 1990s to improve the understanding of emissions performance of the in-service passenger car fleet.
Click here for further information about these studies.
Fuel Tax Credit For Heavy Diesel Vehicles: Guidelines for Environmental Criteria
Under the fuel tax credit arrangements that applied from 1 July 2006, businesses wishing to seek a fuel tax credit for the use of diesel fuel in a heavy road vehicle must satisfy one of four environmental performance criteria to be eligible for the credit.
Fuel Issues
As vehicle emissions control technology becomes more sophisticated, the quality of the fuels is critical. The Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 managed by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities provides the capacity for the Australian Government to set limits on those fuel parameters which impact on environmental/health objectives, vehicle technology and vehicle operation. Standards for petrol, diesel, LPG and biodiesel address fuel properties that are considered important in facilitating the adoption of emerging vehicle engine and emission control technologies, and in managing ambient levels of pollutants identified as posing health and environmental problems.
Inclusion of Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions Data in Promotional Material for New Light Vehicles
Under COAG’s National Strategy on Energy Efficiency, the Department of Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for working with the automotive industry on the development of an industry voluntary code of practice regarding the inclusion of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data in vehicle advertisements and promotional materials. The Department is currently holding discussions with key stakeholders in the vehicle and advertising industries in relation to the code.
