More efficient cars
Australian cars use as much petrol today as they did in 1963. With a strong and mandatory standard for our cars we could make big cuts to our pollution and slash up to $700 a year from the average motorist’s petrol bill.
In the Victorian Transport Plan (2008) the Victorian Government pledged around $25 billion for road building. Given that Australians drive some of the world’s most petrol guzzling cars, that’s a lot of extra greenhouse pollution. Making it compulsory for cars to run on less petrol would make a big difference to Victoria’s greenhouse pollution.
Check out our paper and recommendations about what the Federal Government should do to clean up our cars here
Japan, the USA and European Union all have mandatory standards for vehicle fuel efficiency, while China has introduced strong fuel consumption regulations. By 2010 cars sold in China are likely to be almost 20% more efficient than those in Australia.
Australia’s approach – a weak voluntary system - is not working. We're seriously lagging behind and we need to catch up.
Mandatory standards are a simple, effective and relatively pain free way of reducing our greenhouse pollution. And they come with many benefits.
They will help working families cope with higher petrol prices, reduce our dependence on oil imports and ensure we remain competitive in the international market. In fact, if new cars sold in Australia were as efficient as new cars sold in Europe, the average motorist could save up to $700 per year off their petrol bills. In addition the technologies are well established, continually improving and available today.
The Federal government should introduce a strong national standard and mandate fuel efficiency to acheive an average of 5L per 100km for all new cars sold in Australia by 2015.
There is also a lot that the Victorian Government can do to help us green up our cars by introducing policies that would make it easier and cheaper to buy a fuel efficient car than a heavily polluting one.
Read our paper about the important role that the Victorian Government should be playing to make buying a fuel efficient car cheaper here
We need a plan for our future that makes a serious commitment to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
And with two elections on the horizon, we're going to be keeping up the pressure in coming months.
Sign this letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard calling on her to help slash greenhouse pollution and up to $700 off your petrol bills by introducing a strong mandatory standard for new cars. Sign away
Take action for a more sustainable transport system here
Other recommendations
Planning Melbourne and Victorian towns for accessibility and sustainable transport
