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Energy Efficiency of Passenger Cars: Labelling and its Impact on Fuel Efficiency and CO2-Reduction

Panel: Panel 5: Land use,Transportation and infrastructure (urban and regional planning, approaches to change in well entrenched systems)

Author:
Wilfried Raimund, Energieverwertungsagentur, Austrian Energy Agency

Abstract

This paper deals with the introduction of a fuel economy labelling scheme for new passenger cars. Its main objectives are to investigate energy savings which can be realised through behavioural changes in car buyers’ choice as a result of the label, to analyse the impact of the label on reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of the car fleet and to determine the labelling system best suited to influence consumers to purchase more efficient cars. Moreover such a label is a tool to influence car manufacturers to put more emphasis on fuel efficiency. Different labels have been designed and tested among representative samples of consumers. A label showing a comparison of a specific car’s fuel consumption to the average fuel consumption of cars of the same size was clearly preferred to a comparison among the whole fleet of new cars.

The recommendations on the basis of these findings, among others, include accompanying measures to ensure and enhance the effect of the label as well as a suitable framework to fit the labelling strategy into the overall strategy to reduce CO2 emissions of passenger cars. The possible label impact on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of cars is calculated.

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