The NEDC value of a car suddenly increased, what happened?
The same car suddenly has two different CO2 values, why is this?
Will WLTP affect how much car tax I pay?
Consumer information
During the period of transition from NEDC to WLTP that started in September 2017, cars approved before then will continue to have CO2 values as measured under the old NEDC test. When a new car is certified according to WLTP after September 2017, its official vehicle documents (the Certificate of Conformity) will have CO2 emission values from both the new lab test (WLTP) as well as the old one.
This means that after September 2017, when the switch from the old NEDC test to WLTP is being made, one might come across two different values for the same car. This risks being quite confusing, making it difficult to compare cars. A very important issue therefore is how WLTP will be integrated in car labelling and other consumer information.
Policy recommendations
‘One-shot’ consumer communication on 1 January 2019
- To maintain transparency and comparability for consumers, European auto manufacturers recommend that the EU and its member states go for a ‘one-shot’ introduction of WLTP on labels and other consumer information as of 2019.
- Before this date, the use of NEDC should be legally binding for labelling.
- Bearing in mind the complexity of the transition period, European auto manufacturers consider that this one-shot change in labelling could be made from 1 January 2019 (as proposed by the European Commission), with the exception of end-of-series cars. For end-of-series vehicles separate rules will be necessary (eg keeping the existing system).
Transparent and complete consumer information
- To be as transparent as possible towards consumers, manufacturers wish to provide them with WLTP-based information through their websites and other materials as from September 2017. This is especially important for car configurators, which consumers can find online.
- For labelling purposes, the specific CO2 value of an individual car is used. However, for other consumer information and advertising, ranges of CO2 and fuel consumption values should be used (going from best to worst-case scenario for the car advertised, thus better representing the highly diverging driving styles of consumers).
Harmonised introduction across Europe
- The European Commission has recently published (non-legally binding) recommendations to the member states on the use of WLTP fuel consumption and CO2 values.
