Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched a new online car checker designed to help motorists and fleet drivers choose new cars with the cleanest, least-polluting engines.
The new tool will provide an independent rating of nearly all new Euro 6-standard cars being sold in UK showrooms in London and aims to help empower consumers, who have previously had no way of knowing whether a vehicle is performing as intended in ‘real world’ conditions.
Vehicles will be subjected to independent emissions tests by Emissions Analytics, which has developed the EQUA Index database of ‘real world’ emissions for the majority of new cars sold in the UK and conducted extensive ‘real world testing’ on around 900 vehicle models in Europe.
The Cleaner Vehicle Checker will rate new (Euro 6-standard) cars on a scale of A+ (best) to H (worst) based on the level of NOx emissions they produce on the road. London’s businesses and local authorities will also be able to use a customised ‘Fleet Check’ service to learn more about the emissions performance of their car and van fleets.
By providing details online, operators can identify their most polluting vehicles and consider ways to replace them with cleaner options as part of their procurement.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ” We are days away from the start of the new T-Charge in central London and with sales of diesel cars falling, motorists are more aware than ever about the pollution levels of the cars they drive. Our toxic air is a shameful health crisis and London motorists deserve to know how much filthy emissions new cars may produce before they purchase them.
“This scheme shows how the combined efforts of academic, engineering and health experts can join together to help consumers and ultimately help improve air quality.”
Nick Molden, chief executive officer of Emissions Analytics, said: “The decision to use PEMS and real-world emissions data to identify the genuinely cleanest cars is a hugely important step in tackling the issue of urban air quality. London is leading the way in taking this common-sense approach and the EQUA Index ratings, as part of the Cleaner Vehicle Checker, will help car buyers make informed decisions, rather than simply replying on inaccurate official figures.”
The Cleaner Vehicle Checker forms part of the Mayor’s plans to tackle London’s toxic air quality, which include the new £10 toxicity charge (T-Charge), set to be introduced alongside the congestion charge in central London from Monday 23 October. The new tool can be accessed at www.london.gov.uk/cleaner-vehicle-checker.
