New fuel program to complement GVG

AS PART of its Powering Australia Plan, the Albanese government has this week released more details of its $14 million plan to provide Australian new-car buyers with what it says is more accurate real-world fuel usage of a range of popular cars, SUVs and utes.

The $14 million dollars will be provided to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) over the next four years in a program designed to give drivers information on how much fuel they can expect to use on the road.

The proposed system – which will start early next year – differs substantially from the current Australian Design Rule (ADR) 81/02 fuel consumption labelling for light vehicles which tests vehicles in a laboratory setting for a period of 20 minutes.

According to the AAA, a pilot study has shown that 29 of the 30 most popular new car models tested used more fuel than advertised when tested in real-world conditions.

The program will complement the existing Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) website which currently uses data sourced under ADR 81/02 laboratory test to help consumers compare the relative fuel efficiency of light vehicles sold in Australia.

The GVG, which was revamped earlier this year, provides a wide range of data including fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of a wide range of vehicles dating back to 2004.

In a statement issued this week, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said the government is also canvassing views on how to improve the supply of affordable low- and zero-emissions vehicles for Australia as part of consultation on our National Electric Vehicle Strategy.

“More fuel-efficient vehicles are not only better for the environment, but better for the back pocket at the bowser,” said Ms King.

“This forms part of our government’s commitment to making it easier than ever for Australians to understand and quickly compare the fuel efficiency, running costs and environmental performance of new and used vehicles, allowing them to make informed choices on which vehicle is right for them,

“Our $14 million investment for on-road testing will help improve the information available on how much fuel different vehicles use on the road, which will also give consumers a better idea of how much it will cost to run.”

Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, echoed Ms King’s remarks saying consumers deserve accurate information about new vehicle running costs.

“Buying and running a car is a large cost for families and businesses and is a big contributor to household energy bills,” he said.

“Consumers deserve accurate information about their (vehicle’s) running costs, so they aren’t hit in the hip pocket.

“This overdue initiative will help drive fuel savings through informed consumer choice and help ensure emissions footprint claims by carmakers are accurate.”