Using the Australian Green Vehicle Guide

Greenhouse Rating, Fuel Consumption and More for Australian Cars

Sep 5, 2009 Jo Jackson

Choose a cleaner car by comparing emission levels and environmental performance including L/100km for light vehicles. Make free comparisons at greenvehicleguide.gov.au.

The Australian Government has provided an online Green Vehicle Guide which provides ratings on the environmental performance of new vehicles sold in Australia. This site can be used to see how vehicles compare on greenhouse and air pollution emissions so that when choosing a new car to meet their needs consumers can choose a vehicle with the least adverse impact on the environment.

What Environmental Performance Information is Available?

Greenhouse Rating. This measurement is based on carbon dioxide emissions and is used to compare a vehicle's contribution to the greenhouse effect and climate change.
Air Pollution Rating. This compares a vehicle's contribution to urban air pollution which affects both the environment and health.
An Overall 'Star' Rating. This combines the Greenhouse and Air Pollution Ratings to give a measure of overall emissions
Fuel Consumption (in litres per 100km). This is used to identify fuel-efficient vehicles so buyers can find the most fuel efficient car.

The Categories of Vehicles Available

The Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) provides information about the car fuel consumption and environmental performance of new light vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) sold in Australia from 2004. Vehicles are categorised as follows:

2-seater cars
Small cars
Medium cars
Large cars
6+ seats
Offroad vehicles
Utes and light trucks
Vans

Some vehicles appear in more than one category. For example, a people mover with seven seats will appear in a passenger car class as well as the class for vehicles with six or more seats.

How to Use the Green Vehicle Guide

When visiting the GVG website searches can be made for either specific vehicles or broad classes of vehicles, and comparisons can also be made between them. A range of detailed information can be used to identify individual vehicle models including the make, model and variant name, engine and transmission, body style, seating and fuel type. Alternatively a search can be done for a broad class such as small cars.

After conducting a search, the numbers in the ‘Fuel Consumption’ or ‘CO2’ columns on the ‘Search Results’ page can be clicked on. A popup box will appear where estimated kilometres travelled per year and fuel price can be entered. The calculator will provide the annual fuel cost estimate and CO2 contribution for that vehicle. The GVG also lists Top Performers which include the Toyota Prius and the Fiat 500.

Is Greenhouse Gas Emissions Information Available for Older Vehicles?

For older vehicles fuel consumption data can be used as a broad indicator of the level of greenhouse gas emissions. The Fuel Consumption Guide provides comparative data on the fuel consumption of vehicles manufactured in Australia between 1986 and 2003. While this is a good indicator for vehicles using the same fuel, any comparison of vehicles using different fuels has to take into account the difference in greenhouse gas emissions from different fuels.

The copyright of the article Using the Australian Green Vehicle Guide in Consumer Education is owned by Jo Jackson. Permission to republish Using the Australian Green Vehicle Guide in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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