Fuel Economy Label

Website

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/internal_market/single_market_for_goods/motor_vehicles/interactions_industry_policies/l32034_en.htm

Target

The fuel economy label is supposed to influence the purchasing decision of consumers by selecting cars with lower petrol consumption as well as lower CO₂-emissions. It is also supposed to influence car manufactures to put more attendance to fuel efficiency and support the business competition in the frame of more efficient technologies.

Product Group

The fuel economy label gives information to consumers to promote an improvement of fuel economy of passenger cars.

Implementation and Criteria

The fuel economy label is based on the European directives 93/116/EG and 1999/94/EC. The minimum information are the indication of the basic specifications of the passenger car, the CO₂-emissions as well as the urban, extra-urban and combined petrol consumption in litres per 100 km. Car dealers are allowed to develop an individually styled label with the minimum information. Additionally in all countries car dealers have to display a free guideline which contains a comparison of CO₂-emissions of all offered cars within the member states and advices for economic driving.

Market Relevance

Although the energy efficiency of cars increased about 25 % in the last 30 years, the car manufacturers developed more powerful and petrol intensive engines, which clears this development. Thus, the fuel economy label is not only an instrument for the development of more efficient cars, but also to implement the European Union strategy to reduce the CO₂-emissions to the target of 120 g/km per car until 2010.

Examples of Fuel Economy Labels in Europe