WLTP Rules Could Change Our Choice Of Cars
Friday, 29. June 2018
I have been speaking a lot about the Real World emissions tests recently and the way that they have affected vehicle availability. The actual name of the tests is World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedures (WLTP) and frankly, it is confusing just about everyone involved.
One of the big problems is the way that the changed tests are finding that emissions are actually much more than the readings recorded previously. At the moment we are in a period of transition.
New and facelift cars in 2018 are tested and must conform to emissions levels before 1st September but existing models have been given an extension with a formula applied to the old and new emissions to arrive at a new CO2 emissions figure.
In theory, CO2 emissions should have ended up roughly the same after applying the formula so that company car drivers weren’t suddenly hit with increased BIK tax bills.
In fact, the revised CO2 emission figures have increased on average by 20%. The problem is that all real-world readings come into force in 2020 which means that if a company took out a 3 year lease for an employee they could face a massive hike in BIK tax from year 2 onwards.
So many companies are extending their current leases to see if the Government will do anything to soften the blow for those paying BIK tax. Beyond that manufacturers are saying that the only way to reduce and control CO2 emissions is to change our attitudes.
First of all Kwik Fit have said that we will have to reduce the size of wheels that we fit to our cars in order to reduce the rolling resistance and in turn the CO2 emissions. Car manufacturers are suggesting that we will see a falling off of the small SUV’s as these are the least efficient cars and generate the most CO2.
The prediction is that we will revert to standard saloons and hatchbacks in place of the small, less efficient SUV’s. The shape of cars may well change also in order to make them more streamlined. Boring times ahead! By Graham Hill
