FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                   23 APRIL 2009

Source: WHATGREENCAR

Title: WHATGREENCAR CALCULATES IMPACT OF CAR SCRAPPAGE SCHEME

Based on the announced car scrappage scheme of £2000 for cars more than 10 years old, WhatGreenCar estimates that the average carbon benefit will be over 50 gCO₂/km per car. Assuming average mileage of 15,000 km per year, the carbon saving amounts to over 0.8 tonnes per year per car, or over 4 tonnes per car over the 5-year period during which time the scrapped car may have been used if the scheme had not existed (assuming older cars are scrapped 5 years earlier than would normally be the case).

[These calculations include an assessment of vehicle use, upstream fuel emissions AND vehicle manufacture. The modelling assumes: average tailpipe CO₂ emissions in 1999 of 185 g/km; average tailpipe CO₂ emissions in 2009 of 154 g/km; upstream fuel CO₂ emissions 26-36 g/km depending on fuel type and car age; car manufacture CO₂ emissions 21-31 g/km depending on fuel type and car age; 10 year age deterioration factor 10% for greenhouse gases; real world driving factor 15%; diesel penetration 1999 of 17%; diesel penetration 2009 of 44%; average car mileage 15,000 km].

Given that these figures suggest that the announced scheme will have a modest, but measurable, environmental benefit, added to the crucial support for jobs in the auto industry (the scheme's main aim), WhatGreenCar broadly supports the car scrappage scheme. That said, it is still our position that an opportunity to further reduce emissions by setting limits on the CO₂ emissions of new cars purchased through the scheme has been missed – see WhatGreenCar's recommended car scrappage scheme. 

WhatGreenCar.com

ENDS

For more information contact:

Dr Ben Lane
WhatGreenCar.com
Tel: +44 (0)117 929 8855
Email: editorial@whatgreencar.com