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 and provides policy advice on dangerous goods regulatory requirements.

• Draft Regulation Impact Statement for Review of Euro 5/6 Light Vehicle Emissions Standards
• Treatment of Electric Vehicles under ADR 81/02 and the Green Vehicle Guide
• Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Working Group Final Report
• Australian Design Rules
• Vehicle Emission Standards
• Vehicle Noise
• Fuel Tax Credit For Heavy Diesel Vehicles: Guidelines for Environmental Criteria
• Fuel Issues
• Fuel Consumption Label
• Green Vehicle Guide
• In-Service Emissions
• Dangerous Goods

Draft Regulation Impact Statement for Review of Euro 5/6 Light Vehicle Emissions Standards

The Australian Government has a policy of harmonising Australia's vehicle standards (Australian Design Rules) wherever possible with the international standards established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE). The current emissions ADRs adopt the standards known as Euro 4. New Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards have recently been agreed for light duty vehicles, and the Department has prepared a draft Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) to consider the merits of adopting these latest standards in Australia.

The RIS incorporates a benefit-cost analysis undertaken by Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). DITRDLG also acknowledges the assistance of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) and a number of State environment agencies in the preparation of the RIS.

The draft RIS is provided for public scrutiny and comment, prior to the presentation of a final RIS for consideration by decision makers [PDF: 1783 KB]. The consultation period closes on 1 March 2010, and all submissions must be in writing. Details regarding the submission of comments are set out in Section 5 (Consultation) of the draft RIS.

Treatment of Electric Vehicles under ADR 81/02 and the Green Vehicle Guide

A discussion paper was prepared by the Department to examine options for the treatment of electric vehicles under the Australian Design Rule for fuel consumption labelling (ADR81/02) and the Green Vehicle Guide, and to invite comment on those options.

The comment period closed on 7 August 2009. The discussion paper and comments received on it can be found here.

Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Working Group Final Report

The final report to the Australian Transport Council (ATC) and the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) by the joint ATC/EPHC Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Working Group is available at: http://www.atcouncil.gov.au/documents/vfe_finalreport_09.aspx

Australian Design Rules

The Australian Government develops new vehicle emissions, noise and fuel consumption labelling standards via the Australian Design Rules (ADR's). The ADR's 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

Vehicle Emission Standards

Australia has had new vehicle emission standards in place since the early 1970s and these have been progressively tightened over the past 30 years.  The current standards reflect Australia's commitment to harmonise with the vehicle standards developed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe wherever possible.

The tables listed below summarise the emission limits which apply for light and heavy vehicles and their timetable for adoption in the ADRs. The ADRs are performance standards which specify the maximum levels of emissions permitted under a specified test. The ADRs do not mandate the use of particular technology, although it has been necessary for vehicle manufacturers to fit catalytic converters to light petrol and LPG vehicles in order to meet the emission limits introduced by ADR 37/00 and later standards.

Summary of Emissions Standards for Light Petrol Vehicles 1972-2010    
Emissions Standards for Light Petrol and Diesel Vehicles 1995-2010    
Emissions Standards for Heavy Diesel Vehicles

Vehicle Noise

The vehicle noise standard (ADR83/00) defines the limits on external noise generated by all light and heavy vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds in order to limit the contribution of motor traffic to community noise. The introduction of ADR83/00 significantly reduced the allowable 'drive by' noise limits for all vehicles. The Department has prepared a list of the stationary 'signature' noise data for vehicles currently certified to ADR83/00.

Fuel Consumption Label

The fuel consumption labelling standard (ADR81/02) requires a model specific fuel consumption label to be placed on the windscreens of all new vehicles up to 3.5 tonne gross vehicle mass.  The removable label shows the fuel consumption of the car in litres/100km and the CO2 emissions in g/km based on a standard test. The label enables new car buyers to compare vehicles on a common basis.

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 the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts 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.

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 vehicles 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 to 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 ADR 81/01 requires that a fuel consumption label is affixed to the windscreens of new vehicles prior to their first supply to the market.

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.

The National In-service Emission Study (NISE1), published in 1996, is the most comprehensive study of emissions from cars ever undertaken in Australia. It tested over 600 vehicles manufactured between 1980 and 1993 and demonstrated that considerable exhaust emissions benefits could be obtained from regular tuning and maintenance. An update and expansion of this study covering later model vehicles, NISE2, is now concluded. NISE2 was managed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and the reports can be accessed here.

The NISE1 study also indicated that evaporative emissions from the tested vehicles were on average well above the limits mandated in the then applicable standard, Australian Design Rule 37(ADR37). The subsequent Petrol Volatility Project (1997) examined this in more detail and concluded that reducing the volatility of commercial petrol was the most cost effective means to address this problem. States have since set limits on the volatility of summertime petrol supplies

Earlier Vehicle Emissions Reports

Dangerous Goods

The Department's Dangerous Goods Unit provides policy advice on national and international dangerous goods matters and provides secretariat support to the Competent Authorities Panel. The Department works with the States and Territories, and the National Transport Commission, to promote best practice and internationally harmonised regulatory provisions for the land transport of dangerous goods, as reflected in the Australian Dangerous Goods Code and its associated model legislation.