1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The 2012 edition of European Vehicle Market Statistics offers a statistical portrait of passenger car and light commercial vehicle fleets in the European Union from 2001 to 2011. As in the 2011 edition, the emphasis is on vehicle technologies and emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. This edition adds brief introductions to each chapter, noting important trends in ways that we hope readers will find helpful. It also includes selected comparisons to other large vehicle markets.

The following pages give a concise overview of subsequent chapters, which then focus more closely on the Member States, manufacturers’ brands, and vehicle segments with the highest number of vehicle registrations. More comprehensive tables are included in the annex, along with information on sources.

Registrations

New passenger car registrations continued on the generally downward path started in 2007; since that year they have fallen from 15.6 million to 13.1 million, a decline of 16%. The trend reflects the close relationship between vehicle sales and the economic climate. Accordingly, it is most pronounced in southern Europe, and Germany constitutes the most notable exception to the rule. A brief sales spike in 2009 did interrupt the overall downward trend of the past five years, but this is attributable to economic stimulus programs (scrappage schemes) established by many national governments at that time, which encouraged citizens to buy new cars, rather than any structural change in the market.

FIG. 1-1 Passenger cars: Registrations by Member State

The European market remains centered on a handful of countries. Some 75% of all new passenger car registrations occur in the five largest markets (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain). But from the point of view of makes and manufacturers, the market is much more diverse: the top seven brands capture only about 50% of the market.

Internationally, new registrations in China continued to rocket upward, more than doubling from 2007 (6.3 million) to 2011 (14.5 million). In India the story was much the same, as new registrations increased by 65%. Meanwhile, in the already-developed major markets of the United States and Japan, new registrations declined even more dramatically than in Europe, decreasing in both countries by around 20%.

CO2 Emissions

The EU legislation setting binding targets for carbon dioxide emissions from passenger cars, introduced in 2009, has shown itself to be effective. As early as 2007 a decrease in CO2 emissions was perceptible, as manufacturers anticipated the regulation. Progress has continued: the annual rate of reduction is approximately 3%, and at 135.7 g/km in 2011 average emissions are already approaching the 130 g/km target established for 2015.

2012 saw the European Commission formally propose an average CO2 emissions target for 2020 of 95 g/km, which translates into a required reduction of 27% from 2015 levels. While additional legislative steps remain before it is finally confirmed, manufacturers are clearly already planning around the new standard. Some, like Toyota and PSA, have already met or exceeded their 2015 targets; others are on track to do so, perhaps even early; while others, such as Daimler and Renault-Nissan, have ground to make up.

The range of emissions-level performance exhibited by manufacturers is echoed in the variation across the EU Member States. Germany’s average emissions are among the highest, while France’s are among the lowest, though both countries have about the same gross domestic product. A key reason is differences in vehicle fleet characteristics: passenger cars sold in Germany are on average 12% heavier and 25% more powerful. The trend in the Netherlands is particularly noteworthy: average CO2 emissions from new cars have declined there by 22% since 2007, an average of nearly 6% per year, after a major revision of the car registration tax system.

FIG. 1-2 Percentage CO2 reduction required to meet 2015 targets, based on 2006, for selected manufacturers in Europe (passenger vehicles only)

2015 target calculated assuming no future change to 2011 vehicle weight. Data sources: European Environmental Agency EEA (2011), TNO (2006). Vehicle weight is ‘mass in running order’, i.e., the weight of an empty vehicle +75 kg.

Technologies

The vast majority of Europe’s new cars remain powered by gasoline or diesel motors. Diesel cars account for 55% of all new registrations, gasoline cars for 44%; all other technologies – hybrids, electrics, and natural gas and ethanol-fueled vehicles – combine to make up the remaining 1%. This situation differs notably from other major car markets. The U.S., China, and Japan are all dominated by gasoline-powered cars, with diesels playing almost no role. One market of note that has embraced diesel technology, however, is India, where the diesel market share rose to almost 40% in 2011.

Despite much work on alternative powertrains, and much attendant publicity, registration statistics clearly indicate that they remain niche products. Without exception, hybrids account for few registrations in EU Member States; in the Netherlands, the clear front-runner, they make up only 2.7% of total passenger car sales, and that anomalously high proportion can be attributed to generous financial incentives for low-emitting cars starting in 2007. The situation for battery electric vehicles (BEV) is significantly worse: the highest market share attained by BEVs in Europe is 0.3%, in Denmark.

FIG. 1-3 Passenger cars: Market share, gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles by Member State

Technical parameters

The average mass of new cars in the EU in 2011 was 1390 kg, which represents a return, after a brief hiatus, to the recent historical pattern of annual increases. The trend is concerning because of the relationship between vehicle mass and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are effectively synonymous; the mass of CO2 emitted from burning a litre of fuel is the same no matter what type of vehicle it powers, but a more efficient vehicle is able to drive further on that litre of fuel. Had average new car mass remained constant for the last 10 years, the EU’s 2015 emissions target of 130 g/km would have already been met.

In 2011 both the German and Swedish new car fleets were significantly above the EU average, at 1484 and 1562 kg respectively. In contrast, French, Italian, and Dutch consumers opted for lighter cars (1329, 1314, and 1212 kg respectively).

The increasing weight of the average passenger car reflects incentives built into regulation. The indexing parameter used in setting EU emissions standards is vehicle mass, meaning that heavier cars are granted higher CO2 limits. Studies have pointed out the advantages to emissions reduction of making vehicle size the indexing parameter, a change that has already occurred in the U.S. This would create incentives for manufacturers to reduce vehicle mass, for example by more extensive use of lightweight materials such as high-strength steel, which also affords safety advantages.

FIG. 1-4 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by Member State

Air pollutants

The so-called Euro standards (Euro 1–6) for passenger cars are one of the true success stories in the field of environmental regulations. These standards set differentiated (gasoline and diesel) limits on carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter in car exhaust. The limits have been progressively tightened, with the latest iteration – Euro 6, which enters into force in 2014 – setting limits that range from 68% (gasoline carbon monoxide) to 96% (diesel particulates) lower than those established under Euro 1 in 1992. In 2011, 70% of all cars sold in the EU complied with the Euro 5 standard, while the market share of Euro 6 vehicles remained below 1%.

This legislative success, however, has not necessarily translated into improvement in real-world emissions – that is, emissions as measured outside a vehicle testing laboratory. This is particularly true for NOx emissions from diesel cars. The limits for these emissions decreased by 64% between Euro 3 in 2000 and Euro 5 in 2009. But measured, real-world emissions over this period improved by only 18%, according to a recent technical analysis (Carslaw et al., 2011). The consequence of that disparity is persistent air quality problems, especially in urban areas.

FIG. 1-5 New passenger cars: Market share by emission standards

2 REGISTRATIONS

New passenger car registrations (not including light trucks) by country/region in 2007 and 2011. While car sales decreased in some of the EU Member States, the number of vehicles sold in Germany remained almost constant. Sales in China more than tripled, and in India increased by 65%.

Registrations: New car registrations, 2007 and 2011

New car registrations in the EU fell to about 13.2 million in 2011, continuing a sharp downward trend that started in 2007. Registrations are dominated by the larger Member States; fully 75% take place in the five largest countries (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain), and the three largest alone account for over 55% of the total (FIG. 2-1).

Germany is the largest market, with nearly 25% market share. Registrations in Germany dropped in 2006–2008, then rose in 2009 thanks to a government scrappage scheme. 2010 sales were only at 2.9 million vehicles, then increased again to 3.2 million in 2011. In contrast, sales in other Member States continue to decrease. In Spain, Europe’s fourth largest vehicle market, only 0.8 million new cars were registered in 2011, compared to 1.6 million in 2007.

The European market is very diverse, with the most registered brand, VW, commanding only 12% of the market, and no other brand managing more than 10%. The ‘other’ category, containing all brands outside the top ten, is remarkably large – more than 30% of all registrations (FIG. 2-3).

At 1.5 million, new light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations account for approximately 11% of the total light-duty vehicle market (FIG. 2-7). Overall the same 5 countries dominate LCV registrations, commanding more than 70% of the total. But France, where LCVs capture 27% of overall light-duty registrations, is the leading national market; the LCV share of the German market is only 15% (FIG. 2-4). The LCV market itself is separated into three segments, with N1 class III being the heaviest and classes I and II being more car-like in appearance (FIG. 2-5).

The VW Golf remains the most popular car model in Europe. It accounted for about 3.6% of all new vehicle sales in the EU in 2011. On the LCV side, Ford Transit leads, with about 7.9% market share (FIG. 2-8 and FIG. 2-9).

FIG. 2-1 Passenger cars: Registrations by Member State

FIG. 2-2 Passenger cars: Registrations by vehicle segment

FIG. 2-3 Passenger cars: Registrations by brand

While in reality many brands are part of a larger group (for example VW, Audi, Škoda, Seat and others are part of the Volkswagen Group), for this report it was decided to show each of the brands individually. The reason for this is that brand affiliations have changed in the past (as for example in the case of Daimler and Chrysler) and may change in the future. Group averages can be calculated using the detailed data in the annex tables or upon request by the ICCT.

Segment

Example vehicles

Mini

Smart fortwo, Fiat Panda, Citroën C1

Small

VW Polo, Mini Cooper, Fiat Punto

Lower Medium

VW Golf, Audi A3, Volvo C30, Alfa Romeo 147

Medium

BMW 3-series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, VW Passat

Upper Medium

BMW 5-series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6

Luxury

BMW 7-series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi A8

Sport

BMW Z4, Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Honda S2000

Van

Mercedes-Benz Viano, Ford S-MAX, VW Sharan

Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Off-Road

Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara, VW Amarok

Others

VW Transporter-T5, Opel Vivaro, Mercedes-Benz Vito

TAB. 2-1 Vehicle segment classification used for this report

Please note that there may be vehicles that are difficult to classify into one specific segment.

FIG. 2-4 Light-commercial vehicles: Registrations by Member State

Light-commercial vehicles (N1 category) in the EU are defined as vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 metric tons. They can be further classified into three sub-categories: N1 class I vehicles with a reference mass (mass in running order plus 25 kg) not exceeding 1305 kg; N1 class II vehicles with a reference mass between 1305 and 1760 kg and N1 class III vehicles with a reference mass above 1760 kg.

FIG. 2-5 Light-commercial vehicles: Registrations by vehicle segment

FIG. 2-6 Light-commercial vehicles: Registrations by brand

FIG. 2-7 Market share, passenger cars / light-commercial vehicles (2011)

FIG. 2-8 Top-selling passenger car models in EU-27 (2011)

FIG. 2-9 Top-selling light-commercial vehicle models in EU-27 (2011)

3 CO2 EMISSIONS

Average CO2 emissions by Member State in 2007 and 2011. Emission levels vary significantly by Member State and are highest in Germany and lowest in Portugal. The EU-27 average in 2011 was 136 g/km, about 15% lower than in 2007, and very close to the 2015 target of 130 g/km.

CO2 Emissions: Member State CO2 emissions, 2007 and 2001

Average CO2 emissions of newly registered cars in the EU, normalized to the NEDC test cycle, was 135.7 g/km in 2011.* This is already very close to the EU’s overall 2015 target of 130 g/km. But emission levels vary widely among Member States, with Germany at the upper end (147 g/km) and France at the lower end (129 g/km) of the spectrum. Portugal and the Netherlands have the lowest emission levels, with a noticeably sharp decline in the Netherlands since 2007 (FIG. 3-6).

In July 2012, the European Commission came forward with a regulatory proposal to set a 2020 target of 95 g/km for newly registered cars. This represents a 27% reduction for all manufacturers, based on their individual 2015 targets. The Commission proposal must still be confirmed by the European Parliament and European Council before becoming regulation (TAB. 3-1).

While average CO2 emissions have dropped for all engine technologies, the decrease in emission levels since about 2005 has been particularly strong for gasoline vehicles. This is in part due to shifts in market structure, but also to the fact that the efficiency gap between gasoline and diesel engines continues to narrow (140 g/km vs. 137 g/km in 2011). Hybrid-electric vehicles show a lower CO2 emission level (101 g/km in 2011) (FIG. 3-9).

Even within the same vehicle model family, CO2 emissions can vary significantly. For the VW Golf, the most efficient model version emits 99 g/km of CO2 (equivalent to 3.8 l/100 km), compared to 199 g/km (8.5 l/100 km) for the least efficient version. The vehicle models with the lowest CO2 emission levels are the gasoline-hybrid version of the Toyota Yaris (85 g/km, 3.7 l/100 km) and a diesel version of the Smart fortwo (87 g/km, 3.3 l/100 km) (FIG. 3-10).

Changes since 2001 in key vehicle parameters such as engine power and displacement and vehicle weight illustrate significant developments in automotive design over the past decade. CO2 emissions have decreased significantly, even as average mass has increased. At the same time, manufacturers are extracting significantly more power from smaller engines. Both of these developments imply that lower CO2 emissions would be possible if vehicle weight and engine size were reduced (FIG. 3-18).

* ICCT data on CO2 emissions deviates slightly from the official European Commission CO2 monitoring data compiled by EEA and the European Commission (EEA, 2012). The deviation is typically about 1% and is due to differences in data collection and definitions. The provisional EU-27 2011 average CO2 emission according to EEA was 135.7 g/km.

FIG. 3-1 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions and market share by Member State (2011)

FIG. 3-2 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions and market share by brand (2011)

FIG. 3-3 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions and market share by Member State (2011)

FIG. 3-4 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions and market share by brand (2011)

FIG. 3-5 EU new passenger vehicles CO2 emissions and weight in 2011 by manufacturer and corresponding 2015 and 2020 targets

2015 and 2020 targets calculated assuming no future change to 2011 vehicle weight. Data source for 2011: European Environmental Agency EEA; vehicle weight is ‘mass in running order’, i.e., the weight of an empty vehicle +75 kg. CO2 emissions and vehicle weight are shown by manufacturer instead of brand.

2011

2011

2015

2020

Daimler

154 g/km

1571 kg

138 g/km

101 g/km

BMW

145 g/km

1572 kg

138 g/km

101 g/km

Ford

132 g/km

1323 kg

127 g/km

93 g/km

Volkswagen

137 g/km

1427 kg

132 g/km

96 g/km

All manufacturers (average)

136 g/km

1389 kg

130 g/km

95 g/km

Fiat (excl. Chrysler)

119 g/km

1148 kg

119 g/km

87 g/km

GM

135 g/km

1411 kg

131 g/km

96 g/km

Toyota

127 g/km

1327 kg

127 g/km

93 g/km

Fiat (incl. Chrysler)

122 g/km

1188 kg

121 g/km

88 g/km

Renault-Nissan

134 g/km

1315 kg

127 g/km

93 g/km

PSA (Peugeot-Citroën)

127 g/km

1341 kg

128 g/km

93 g/km

TAB. 3-1 EU new passenger vehicles CO2 emissions and weight in 2011 by manufacturer and corresponding 2015 and 2020 targets

FIG. 3-6 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by Member State

FIG. 3-7 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by vehicle segment

FIG. 3-8 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by brand

FIG. 3-9 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by engine technology

FIG. 3-10 Selected passenger car models in 2011

Data source: (DAT, 2012), manufacturers’ websites

FIG. 3-11 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions by Member State

.

FIG. 3-12 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions by brand

FIG. 3-13 New vehicles: Market share by CO2 emissions (2005 and 2011)

FIG. 3-14 Passenger cars: Sales-weighted correlation CO2 emissions and vehicle mass

The sales-weighted correlation between CO2 and vehicle mass is flattening over time, so that a vehicle with the same mass tends to produce less CO2 in 2011 than in 2001. At the same time the average vehicle mass has increased from 2001 to 2011. If vehicle mass had stayed constant at about 1270 kg the average CO2 emission in 2011 would likely have been approximately 130 g/km instead of 140 g/km, according to the correlation shown in Figure 3-14.

FIG. 3-15 Passenger cars: Sales-weighted correlation CO2 emissions and vehicle footprint

The footprint of a vehicle is defined as the product of track width and wheelbase. Data for footprint is only available for 2008 to 2011. The dots in Figure 3-14 and Figure 3-15 represent vehicle model families.

FIG. 3-16 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions vs. vehicle mass

FIG. 3-17 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions vs. engine displacement

FIG. 3-18 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions and technical parameters (2001 = 100%)

4 TECHNOLOGIES

The market share of diesel cars is 55% on average in the EU, but is as high as 75% for some individual Member States. In other markets around the world diesel cars play almost no role, with the exception of India, where the diesel market share is about 40%. Alternative powertrains and fuels currently account for only 1% of all new car sales in the EU. In Japan, hybrid-electric cars already make up 16% of all new car sales.

Technologies: Market shares, vehicle technologies

Diesel dominates the passenger car market in the EU; in 2011, 55% of all newly registered cars were powered by diesel engines. As ever, there is significant variation among Member States. Belgium, France, and Spain have diesel take-up rates over 70%, while in the Netherlands the rate is much lower, 28% (FIG. 4-1). Diesel tends to be the preferred fuel for larger segments, while for mini/small and sport vehicles gasoline dominates (FIG. 4-10). In the LCV market, diesel makes up nearly 100% of the new registrations in the heaviest LCV class; the proportion declines to around 90% in the smallest class (FIG. 4-11).

Acceptance of alternative (i.e., neither gasoline nor diesel) propulsion technologies remains low in the EU overall. There are some limited exceptions, such as hybrids in the Netherlands, natural gas in Italy, and ethanol in Sweden. But these follow a pattern – a sudden surge in sales followed by a sudden collapse – that indicates they are strongly influenced by government policies (FIG. 4-2 to FIG. 4-4).

One striking feature of the European vehicle market over the last decade is the sharp increase in market share of passenger cars using gasoline direct injection (GDI) to obtain greater efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. Overall market share of GDI vehicles increased sharply beginning in 2008, and is estimated at around 20% in 2011. For an accurate comparison of the data it should be noted that many of the early GDI vehicles limited operation to only homogeneous charge, whereas more complex designs introduced later also allow for stratified charge, with greater efficiency and more CO2 reduction benefit (FIG. 4-15 and FIG. 4-16).

FIG. 4-1 Passenger cars: Market share, diesel vehicles by Member State

FIG. 4-2 Passenger cars: Market share, gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles by Member State

FIG. 4-3 Passenger cars: Market share, natural gas vehicles (mono- and bivalent) by Member State

FIG. 4-4 Passenger cars: Market share, ethanol vehicles by Member State

FIG. 4-5 Light-commercial vehicles: Market share, fuels by Member State

FIG. 4-6 Passenger cars: Market share, diesel vehicles by brand

FIG. 4-7 Passenger cars: Market share, gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles by brand

FIG. 4-8 Passenger cars: Market share, natural gas vehicles (mono- and bivalent) by brand

FIG. 4-9 Passenger cars: Market share, ethanol vehicles by brand

FIG. 4-10 Passenger cars: Market share, diesel vehicles by segment

FIG. 4-11 Light-commercial vehicles: Market share, fuels by vehicle segment (in 2011)

FIG. 4-12 Passenger cars: Market share, vehicles with automatic transmission by segment

FIG. 4-13 Passenger cars: Market share, vehicles with rear- wheel drive by brand

FIG. 4-14 Passenger cars: Market share, vehicles with all-wheel drive by segment

FIG. 4-15 Passenger cars: Market share of gasoline vehicles with direct injection by brand

FIG. 4-16 Passenger cars: Market share of gasoline vehicles with direct injection by segment

5 KEY TECHNICAL PARAMETERS

The average weight of new cars in the EU in 2011 was 1393 kg – more than in India, Japan, or China, but less than in the U.S. Within Europe, cars in Germany and Sweden are especially heavy, while the average weight in the Netherlands is 25% lower than in Sweden.

Key Technical Parameters: Average weight, new cars

The years 2001 to 2011 saw a consistent rise in average engine power across all countries, brands, and segments that amounts to a significant change over the ten-year period. Statistics on vehicle mass and CO2 emissions clearly show that those countries and brands with bigger, heavier fleets also have the most powerful fleets, and vice versa. Germany’s fleet is significantly more powerful than the EU average (99 kW vs. 88 kW), while BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi produce cars even more above the average at 139 kW, 126 kW and 120 kW respectively. At the other end of the scale, the French, Italian and Dutch fleets all come in below 80 kW, while Fiat’s average barely exceeds 60 kW (FIG. 5-1 and FIG. 5-2).

The power Figures also display the effects of the economic crisis, with almost all countries’ average power dipping significantly between 2008 and 2010. Interestingly, this pattern is hardly noticeable in the brand and segment statistics, suggesting the countries’ drops were caused by consumers moving to less powerful brands and segments, rather than less powerful models within the brands and segments (FIG. 5-1 to FIG. 5-3).

Both engine displacement and average number of cylinders are decreasing, especially since 2007. Partly this is another effect of the economic crisis, but it also signals an underlying technical trend: improved combustion processes and turbocharging allow manufacturers to extract more power from smaller engines. Thus, manufacturers are able to substitute a 4-cylinder engine for a 6-cylinder, and to generally reduce engine displacement (FIG. 5-5 to FIG. 5-12).

Increases in passenger car mass over the last decade, led by Sweden (1562 kg in 2011) and Germany (1484 kg), echo the pattern set by engine power. In the Netherlands, however, this trend is reversed: there, average mass has been decreasing since 2007, falling to 1212 kg in 2011 (FIG. 5-13). Overall, the rate of increase in mass is lower than that of engine power, resulting in a trend of increased power-to-weight ratio across the board, and thus higher acceleration and top speed performance (FIG. 5-21).

FIG. 5-1 Passenger cars: Engine power by Member State

FIG. 5-2 Passenger cars: Engine power by brand

FIG. 5-3 Passenger cars: Engine power by segment

FIG. 5-4 New vehicles: Engine power by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-5 Passenger cars: Engine displacement by Member State

FIG. 5-6 Passenger cars: Engine displacement by brand

FIG. 5-7 Passenger cars: Engine displacement by segment

FIG. 5-8 New vehicles: Engine displacement by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-9 Passenger cars: Number of cylinders by Member State

FIG. 5-10 Passenger cars: Number of cylinders by brand

FIG. 5-11 Passenger cars: Number of cylinders by segment

FIG. 5-12 New vehicles: Number of cylinders by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-13 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by Member State

Vehicle mass in running order in the EU is defined as mass of the empty vehicle plus 75 kg of weight for the driver and some luggage, 90% of the fuel capacity and 100% of the capacity of other liquid containing systems (like water or oil). The weight of optional equipment for the vehicle is not included.

FIG. 5-14 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by brand

FIG. 5-15 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by segment

FIG. 5-16 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-17 Passenger cars: Vehicle pan-area by brand

Pan-area is defined as length x width of a vehicle. It is also called ‘shadow’ of a vehicle and an indicator for the size of a vehicle. Another indicator is ‘footprint’, defined as track width x wheelbase of a vehicle. Data on footprint is included in the annex of this document.

FIG. 5-18 Passenger cars: Vehicle pan-area by segment

FIG. 5-19 Passenger cars: Average footprint by brand

FIG. 5-20 Passenger cars: Average footprint by segment

FIG. 5-21 Passenger cars: Power-to-weight ratio by segment

The power-to-weight ratio is an indicator of the amount of engine power of a vehicle in comparison to its weight.

FIG. 5-22 Passenger cars: Power-to-weight ratio by engine technology

FIG. 5-23 Passenger cars: Number of gears by segment

FIG. 5-24 Passenger cars: Vehicle price (incl. tax, unadjusted for inflation) by brand

Sales taxes in the EU are between 15% and 25%. In addition to the general tax, some Member States have also introduced a special sales or registration tax for new cars. For more details, see the ACEA tax guide (ACEA, 2011). The data in this report was not adjusted for differences in the level of taxation between Member States. Furthermore, the data was not adjusted for inflation.

FIG. 5-25 Passenger cars: Vehicle price (incl. tax, unadjusted for inflation) by segment

FIG. 5-26 Passenger cars: Vehicle price (incl. tax, unadjusted for inflation) by engine technology

6 AIR POLLUTANT EMISSIONS

With the introduction of Euro 4 and Euro 5 standards, NOx emission limits decreased by about 60% compared to Euro 3. While this development led to lower on-road emissions for gasoline vehicles, the real-world values for diesel cars remained nearly constant, resulting in air-quality problems, especially in urban areas (Carslaw et al., 2011).

Air pollutant emissions: NOx limits and measured values

About 80% of all new cars sold in the EU in 2011 were Euro 5 vehicles. A limited number of vehicle models are already in compliance with Euro 6, but their market share remains below 1% – unremarkable, given that Euro 6 will not be mandatory until 2014. Slight differences in the introduction rate of Euro 5 between manufacturers and brands can be observed, but overall the rate of introduction is very similar for all Member States and manufacturers (FIG. 6-1 to FIG. 6-3).

The progression from Euro 3 to Euro 5 resulted in significantly lower emission limits for nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particular matter (PM). Emissions, as measured in the NEDC test cycle, are generally in compliance with these limits (FIG. 6-4 to FIG. 6-6). But recent studies have found evidence that real-world (i.e., on-road, not inside vehicle testing laboratories) measured emissions, and NOx diesel emissions in particular, have not decreased to the same extent (Carslaw et al., 2011).

FIG. 6-1 Passenger cars: Market share, Euro 3 vehicles by brand

FIG. 6-2 Passenger cars: Market share, Euro 4 vehicles by brand

FIG. 6-3 Passenger cars: Market share, Euro 5 vehicles by brand

All emission levels as tested in the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC). Emissions levels in real-world driving may differ from the test cycle values. CO: Carbon monoxide; HC: Hydrocarbon; NMHC: Nonmethane hydrocarbon; NOx: Nitrogen oxide; HC+NOx: Hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide; PM: Particulate matter

FIG. 6-4 Passenger cars: NOx emission level, diesel vehicles by Member State

FIG. 6-5 Passenger cars: NOx emission level, gasoline vehicles by Member State

Vehicles with a previous emission standard registered in the years after a new standard is introduced were excluded from the analysis.

FIG. 6-6 Passenger cars: PM emission level, diesel vehicles by Member State

EU emission limits for gasoline passenger cars (in g/km)

Effective date*

CO

HC

NMHC

NOx

HC+NOx

PM

Euro 3

Jan 2000

2.30

0.20

–

0.15

–

–

Euro 4

Jan 2005

1.00

0.10

–

0.08

–

–

Euro 5

Sep 2009

1.00

0.10

0.068

0.06

–

0.0050

Euro 6

Sep 2014

1.00

0.10

0.068

0.06

–

0.0045

EU emission limits for diesel passenger cars (in g/km)

Effective date*

CO

HC

NMHC

NOx

HC+NOx

PM

Euro 3

Jan 2000

0.64

–

–

0.50

0.56

0.0500

Euro 4

Jan 2005

0.50

–

–

0.25

0.30

0.0250

Euro 5

Sep 2009

0.50

–

–

0.18

0.23

0.0050

Euro 6

Sep 2014

0.50

–

–

0.08

0.17

0.0045

TAB. 6-1 EU emission limits for gasoline passenger cars and diesel passenger cars

* For new vehicle types

Emission limits for light-commercial (N1) vehicles class I are identical to passenger car limits listed in TAB. 6-1. N1 class II and N1 class III emission limits are not listed here.

Remarks on Data Sources

With the adoption of the EU regulation setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars (Regulation (EC) No. 443/2009) and light-commercial vehicles (Regulation (EC) No. 510/2011) Member States are required to report certain details for each new vehicle registered in their territory. The information is then compiled and published by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) on behalf of the European Commission. The first statistical report for passenger cars was published in 2011 (EEA 2011), and the first report for light-commercial vehicles will follow in 2013. Before the adoption of Regulation (EC) No. 443/2009, Decision No. 1753/2000/EC was in place, which established the scheme for monitoring the average specific CO2 emissions from new passenger cars. Therefore, official EU CO2 monitoring data for new passenger cars is available from the year 2000 onwards. While these data collections are an important step forward in making available transparent and detailed vehicle market statistics for Europe to the general public, the amount of information included is limited to a few parameters, such as number of registrations, manufacturer, fuel type, CO2 emission, and vehicle mass.

The basis for the statistics shown in this report is a database compiled by the ICCT. It includes technical information, emission levels, and registration volumes at a car variant level. Sources of information include data obtained by R. L. Polk from various registration authorities, as well as car manufacturers’ and importers’ associations, data from the United Kingdom Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), the German Kraftfahrtbundesamt (KBA), Automobil Revue, and information provided directly by manufacturers and suppliers. The Ökopol-Institute provided assistance to the ICCT in processing raw data, linking various data sources, carrying out quality checks and filling data gaps. Data included in this report is aggregated to a great extent and only intended to illustrate high-level trends. It is not to be considered official data and does not provide the same level of precision as the EC CO2 monitoring data.

For light-commercial vehicles only 2009 to 2011 data is available.

For the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) is in charge of releasing a similar annual publication that includes trends on vehicle technologies, CO2 emissions and fuel economy from 1975 onward (EPA, 2012).

List of Figures and Tables

FIG. 1-1 Passenger cars: Registrations by Member State

FIG. 1-2 Percentage CO2 reduction required to meet 2015 targets, based on 2006, for selected manufacturers in Europe (passenger vehicles only)

FIG. 1-3 Passenger cars: Market share, gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles by Member State

FIG. 1-4 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by Member State

FIG. 1-5 New passenger cars: Market share by emission standards

FIG. 2-1 Passenger cars: Registrations by Member State

FIG. 2-2 Passenger cars: Registrations by vehicle segment

FIG. 2-3 Passenger cars: Registrations by brand

TAB. 2-1 Vehicle segment classification used for this report

FIG. 2-4 Light-commercial vehicles: Registrations by Member State

FIG. 2-5 Light-commercial vehicles: Registrations by vehicle segment

FIG. 2-6 Light-commercial vehicles: Registrations by brand

FIG. 2-7 Market share, passenger cars / light-commercial vehicles (2011)

FIG. 2-8 Top-selling passenger car models in EU-27 (2011)

FIG. 2-9 Top-selling light-commercial vehicle models in EU-27 (2011)

FIG. 3-1 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions and market share by Member State (2011)

FIG. 3-2 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions and market share by brand (2011)

FIG. 3-3 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions and market share by Member State (2011)

FIG. 3-4 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions and market share by brand (2011)

FIG. 3-5 EU new passenger vehicles CO2 emissions and weight in 2011 by manufacturer and corresponding 2015 and 2020 targets

TAB. 3-1 EU new passenger vehicles CO2 emissions and weight in 2011 by manufacturer and corresponding 2015 and 2020 targets

FIG. 3-6 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by Member State

FIG. 3-7 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by vehicle segment

FIG. 3-8 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by brand

FIG. 3-9 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions by engine technology

FIG. 3-10 Selected passenger car models in 2011

FIG. 3-11 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions by Member State

FIG. 3-12 Light-commercial vehicles: CO2 emissions by brand

FIG. 3-13 New vehicles: Market share by CO2 emissions (2005 and 2011)

FIG. 3-14 Passenger cars: Sales-weighted correlation CO2 emissions and vehicle mass

FIG. 3-15 Passenger cars: Sales-weighted correlation CO2 emissions and vehicle footprint

FIG. 3-16 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions vs. vehicle mass

FIG. 3-17 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions vs. engine displacement

FIG. 3-18 Passenger cars: CO2 emissions and technical parameters (2001 = 100%)

FIG. 4-1 Passenger cars: Market share, diesel vehicles by Member State

FIG. 4-2 Passenger cars: Market share, gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles by Member State

FIG. 4-3 Passenger cars: Market share, natural gas vehicles (mono- and bivalent) by Member State

FIG. 4-4 Passenger cars: Market share, ethanol vehicles by Member State

FIG. 4-5 Light-commercial vehicles: Market share, fuels by Member State

FIG. 4-6 Passenger cars: Market share, diesel vehicles by brand

FIG. 4-7 Passenger cars: Market share, gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles by brand

FIG. 4-8 Passenger cars: Market share, natural gas vehicles (mono- and bivalent) by brand

FIG. 4-9 Passenger cars: Market share, ethanol vehicles by brand

FIG. 4-10 Passenger cars: Market share, diesel vehicles by segment

FIG. 4-11 Light-commercial vehicles: Market share, fuels by vehicle segment (in 2011)

FIG. 4-12 Passenger cars: Market share, vehicles with automatic transmission by segment

FIG. 4-13 Passenger cars: Market share, vehicles with rear- wheel drive by brand

FIG. 4-14 Passenger cars: Market share, vehicles with all-wheel drive by segment

FIG. 4-15 Passenger cars: Market share of gasoline vehicles with direct injection by brand

FIG. 4-16 Passenger cars: Market share of gasoline vehicles with direct injection by segment

FIG. 5-1 Passenger cars: Engine power by Member State

FIG. 5-2 Passenger cars: Engine power by brand

FIG. 5-3 Passenger cars: Engine power by segment

FIG. 5-4 New vehicles: Engine power by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-5 Passenger cars: Engine displacement by Member State

FIG. 5-6 Passenger cars: Engine displacement by brand

FIG. 5-7 Passenger cars: Engine displacement by segment

FIG. 5-8 New vehicles: Engine displacement by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-9 Passenger cars: Number of cylinders by Member State

FIG. 5-10 Passenger cars: Number of cylinders by brand

FIG. 5-11 Passenger cars: Number of cylinders by segment

FIG. 5-12 New vehicles: Number of cylinders by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-13 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by Member State

FIG. 5-14 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by brand

FIG. 5-15 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by segment

FIG. 5-16 Passenger cars: Vehicle mass in running order by type of vehicle and engine technology

FIG. 5-17 Passenger cars: Vehicle pan-area by brand

FIG. 5-18 Passenger cars: Vehicle pan-area by segment

FIG. 5-19 Passenger cars: Average footprint by brand

FIG. 5-20 Passenger cars: Average footprint by segment

FIG. 5-21 Passenger cars: Power-to-weight ratio by segment

FIG. 5-22 Passenger cars: Power-to-weight ratio by engine technology

FIG. 5-23 Passenger cars: Number of gears by segment

FIG. 5-24 Passenger cars: Vehicle price (incl. tax, unadjusted for inflation) by brand

FIG. 5-25 Passenger cars: Vehicle price (incl. tax, unadjusted for inflation) by segment

FIG. 5-26 Passenger cars: Vehicle price (incl. tax, unadjusted for inflation) by engine technology

FIG. 6-1 Passenger cars: Market share, Euro 3 vehicles by brand

FIG. 6-2 Passenger cars: Market share, Euro 4 vehicles by brand

FIG. 6-3 Passenger cars: Market share, Euro 5 vehicles by brand

FIG. 6-4 Passenger cars: NOx emission level, diesel vehicles by Member State

FIG. 6-5 Passenger cars: NOx emission level, gasoline vehicles by Member State

FIG. 6-6 Passenger cars: PM emission level, diesel vehicles by Member State

TAB. 6-1 EU emission limits for gasoline passenger cars and diesel passenger cars

Abbreviations

ACEA: Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles (European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association)

BEV: Battery Electric Vehicles

CO: Carbon monoxide

CO2: Carbon dioxide

EC: European Commission

EEA: European Environmental Agency

EU: European Union

EU-12: All 12 EU Member States having joined the EU after 1995

EU-27: All 27 EU Member States

HC: Hydrocarbon

KBA: Kraftfahrtbundesamt

LCV: Light-commercial vehicles

LPG: Liquefied petroleum gas

PC: Passenger cars

NEDC: New European Driving Cycle

NMHC: Non-methane hydrocarbon

NOx: Nitrogen oxide

PM: Particulate matter

SUV: Sports Utility Vehicle

US EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency

VCA: Vehicle Certification Agency

References

Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles (ACEA) (2011a). ACEA tax guide 2011.

Carslaw et al. (2011). Recent evidence concerning higher NOx emissions from passenger cars and light duty vehicles. Journal of Atmospheric Environment 45 (2011) 7053-7063.

Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT) (2012). Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO2-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch aller neuen Personenkraftwagenmodelle, die in Deutschland zum Verkauf angeboten werden. Ausgabe 2012, 4. Quartal.

European Environmental Agency (EEA) (2012). Monitoring CO2 emissions from new passenger cars in the EU: Summary of data for 2011.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) (2012). Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2011. EPA-420-R-12-001a.

Tables

Passenger cars 2011

Passenger cars 2010

Passenger cars 2009

Passenger cars 2008

Passenger cars 2007

Passenger cars 2006

Passenger cars 2005

Passenger cars 2004

Passenger cars 2003

Passenger cars 2002

Passenger cars 2001

Light-commercial vehicles 2011

Light-commercial vehicles 2010

Light-commercial vehicles 2009

Imprint

For additional information:

International Council on Clean Transportation Europe

Neue Promenade 6, 10178 Berlin

+49 (30) 847129-102

communications@theicct.org

www.theicct.org

© 2012 International Council on Clean Transportation

Funding for this work was generously provided by the ClimateWorks Foundation

Edited by Dr. Peter Mock (ICCT Europe)

Design and visualization by Hahn und Zimmermann, Bern