Automotive revolution afoot

Nasir Shah, sales and marketing director at Jato Dynamics, said the 130g/km emissions legislation was controversial but lauded carmakers for their efforts, and questioned the viability of achieving the targets. “It's hard to imagine the EU objectives can be fully met throughout the industry. The automotive industry seems to be shouldering a sizeable slice of the environmental burden,” he said. Jato figures showed 2006 European CO2 emissions were around 30g above EU targets despite the fact that CO2 levels across Europe have fallen year-on-year since 2001.

While significant investment has been put into hybrid and alternative technologies, consumers remain unconvinced, with the eco-friendly market leading Toyota Prius managing less than an 0.18 per cent share of the market. But Shah predicted taxation penalising the worst performers would see manufacturers adapting their vehicles. “We are already seeing a trend towards SUVs adopting two-wheel drive as standard, while the traditional large petrol engines in these vehicles are being replaced with more fuel efficient diesel units. So long as buyers keep the chunky looks, they're happy to compromise on true off-road capability.”