Selling Environmentally Friendly Cars - tap into the green economy

Transcription

1 Selling Environmentally Friendly Cars - tap into the green economy 1

2 Published by Miljöfordon Syd Editor: Jonas Lööf The authors Jonas Lööf Jonas is the founder member of the regional Clean Vehicle Association, Miljöfordon Syd, where he also acts as Operations Manager. He is editor for Clean Vehicle, an information paper with the aim to increase the knowledge and interest about clean vehicles, biofuels and better use of our cars by the public. He managed the project CO2- Effective Car Dealers in Kalmar County, the results of which are the basis for the EU-project, Clean Drive. This aims to encourage car dealers to sell more energy efficient and climate friendly cars all over Europe. Mattias Goldmann Mattias Goldmann has a background as a member of the board, municipal inspector and press officer for Green Motorists. He has worked to develop emission-reducing projects in East Africa and has a political background from municipality to national parliament levels. He was previously a freelance journalist for a variety of publications, including Teknikens Värld (a technical magazine) and Auto Zeitung. In his youth he practiced in a garage. Mattias has one of the largest collections of car brochures in Sweden. The sole responsibility for the content of this report lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. 2

3 The Clean Vehicle Boom forgotten heroes The environmental movement has repeatedly been honored to have played a critical role in the green car boom in Sweden. However, the most important players we find are at car dealers like; European Motor, Carstedts, Bilia, Hermibil, Holmgrens, and many other showrooms across the country. Without these car dealers, the Clean Vehicle boom would still be a writing-desk product with a few enthusiasts who wanted to combine driving with environmental considerations. Think of car dealers and the probability that you think "environmental hero" is quite small. It is a big underestimate and misjudgment. This book is based on meetings with hundreds of dealers, with a huge experience of how to sell cars and encourage repeat business. For many dealers, it is a vocation rather than a profession to sell the car, and more and more are interested in selling cars that their grandchildren can also be proud of. A recent major change to the car market has been the impact of the environmental car. Clean cars under the conventional definition have in recent years accounted for about one third of new sales, sometimes more than that. At a time when government benefits are being eroded, there is a falling market share trend, municipalities with their own incentives however, maintain sales figures that are significantly higher than in those without local incentives. The environmental car phenomenon is still a new and different challenge for the industry. Motor vehicle sales are no longer about selling that which can only solve individual or family problems, but also those of society. According to The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Road Transport Administration and the Consumer Agency; a gas car powered by biogas reduces the carbon footprint by 80 percent, and the fuel-efficient diesel and petrol cars by 40 percent compared with the conventional car; the ethanol car then halve the climate impact! Today's definition of clean vehicles and the current market for these vehicles is not yet distinctly defined. Consumers are becoming more aware and making increasing demands. Local authorities, parliament and the government tightens definitions and highlights an increasing number of specifications for what a clean vehicle is. The Swedish Consumer Agency is working to implement an EU-energy label of vehicles much like that in place for our refrigerators. The EU Commission sets tough demands on all new car sales, which on average will be down to 130 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer by This requirement separates the wheat from the chaff among dealers, which of them will actively contribute to the goal and who will drag their feet? But it is not only about tightening up what we already know to expect. Now electric cars and hybrids will also be introduced, with new demands on the car salesman and, not least, new opportunities. The car dealers that pioneer with new technologies and meet new consumer and regulatory requirements will fare much better than those that, at the last moment, to try to convert. This handbook gives practical tips for car dealers who want to help move the car forward as a part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. How the motor vehicle is 3

4 designed, how the cars are advertised, what is true and false in the debate, what accessories are appropriate to highlight and how all the staff are involved are just some of many important questions. This publication examines all of these drawing upon the research into concrete examples from the Swedish motor trade Together we make the car greener! Mattias Goldmann and Jonas Lööf 4

5 Content The authors... 2 The Clean Vehicle Boom forgotten heroes... 3 Content...5 Environment sells!... 7 What car should I sell? Swedish Car Sale Statistics UK Car Sale Statistics... 8 The top 10 most popular cars sold in the UK Newly sold clean vehicles by type... 9 What is a green car? Government vehicle purchases Green car benefits Vehicle Excise Duty Electric Vehicle Financial Supports Exemptions from Congestion Charge Parking benefits Fuel price Fuel efficient versions Taxation of different fuels Trade-in Value Image Electric cars Financial incentives Information Charging stations/stands Customer groups Sell, lease or a combination? Light duty vehicles Conversion of existing cars into renewable fuels Influencing the general agent Affect the manufacturer The Showroom The impact of the showroom How do the customers find the showroom? Train the salesmen Involve all employees Company Cars What are your goals?

6 Environmental Awards VIP arrangements Events Sponsorship Environmental information on the Web Environmental information in the showroom Advertising Accessories After Sales Service Positive equipment Inconclusive equipment Negative equipment Complementary Activities Offers Climate compensation Membership Economical incentives and benefits for green car owners Used cars Online shopping Service Materials Sorting (Recycling) Collection Replacement vehicle Environmental work in a holistic perspective Increased sale of green cars Increased sales of cars with lower carbon emissions Environmental control of the entire business Better use of the cars Frequently asked questions General questions about green-cars Questions about fuels What about filling stations abroad? Questions about electric cars Questions about fuel-efficient petrol and diesel cars Good examples Eco-driving race increase interest in green cars and the environment Annual review of municipal and county councils fleet-vehicles Read more Thanks

7 Environment sells! When the company with a good reputation in social responsibility and quality work are faced with environmental questions about their use of fuel-guzzling vehicles as company cars, a damaging hypocrisy will be revealed. Top politicians who do not drive green cars will also be hung out. When business managers are interviewed in magazines and newspapers often their choice of car is presented as a symbol of their green responsibility. In recent years it has been possible for both individuals and businesses to gain positive recognition for choosing a green car. However as the popularity of the green car grows, the green car owner draws less attention by merely having such a vehicle. The green vehicle is becoming a social norm and this means there is a growing general expectation in society that you have one. The pressure is on to meet this expectation and there are negative implications in terms of public image for those who choose models that do not reflect the emerging social standards. The dealer helps its customers make the right choice. Otherwise, the customer will not return, and the customer's acquaintances will also choose another car dealership. Therefore, car dealers must understand this new logic and act upon it. The UK car dealership can of course enjoy the fact that it is becoming more and more unusual to have to guide the customers towards the green car. It is not often perceived as weird or less attractive anymore. Many businesses and industries have already decided to phase out non-green vehicles. Public bodies are moving to electric vehicles or using biofuels in their vehicles. More and more Local Authorities will phase out completely the fossil-fuel powered cars and government authorities should in principle just purchase and lease clean cars. The environmental version is no longer the exception but the rule for several car models. Examples from Sweden show that the Ford Focus is more common in the ethanol than the petrol version, likewise the Saab 9-3. The Volvo V70, is the best-selling car in Sweden, particularly the green car ethanol and diesel versions, with the petrol version rapidly becoming redundant. Volkswagen Passat is the second-best selling car in Sweden, and it is the gas version that dominates. Two out of three Mercedes B-Class sold have the extension NGT; Natural Gas Technology. The green car trend is here to stay - and those who have most to offer in the area attract more customers. As the market develops, the bar is also raised for the minimal environmental requirements, and selling arguments. The green car trend is here to stay - and those who have most to offer in the area attracts more customers 7

8 What car should I sell? Traditionally, the environmentalists have asked the car dealers to sell vehicles that are so small, light and with as weak engines as possible. It is no longer generally true. An ethanolpowered Ford Focus Flexifuel has much lower environmental impact than a dieselpowered Ford Fiesta (the top selling car in the UK); a biogas-powered Opel Zafira has significantly lower environmental impact than a petrol-powered Opel Corsa. This is good news for the car-dealer business, because it means that it is not necessarily worse to sell a larger and more expensive car than one that is smaller and cheaper. To sell cars with a bigger environmental focus is thus no threat for the car dealers economy. If your usual car manufacturer currently does not have a brand that offers green car rated cars in popular categories, consider supplementing with any of the other brands that are big on green cars. If your car dealer company sells several brands and some of them are not future-proof, giving the range a high proportion of large, heavy and fuel-guzzling cars, consider leaving that brand behind. If you are selling green versions of the models, which also have conventional petrol and diesel versions the example the Ford Dealers from Sweden could be considered. They order the Ford Focus and Ford C-Max in the petrol version only by request, but stock large volumes of Flexifuel versions Swedish Car Sale Statistics Facts about the 289,684 new cars sold in Sweden in 2010 (figures for 2009 in parentheses). 131 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer on average emissions A and B Rate cars (lowest CO2 emissions) account for 79% of new car sales 64% run only on diesel fuel Hybrid, electric and flexifuel vehicles accounted for 4.5% of sales in UK Car Sale Statistics Full year registrations down 6.4% to 1,994,999 units, the lowest level since 1995: o Petrol 1,147,580 units o Diesel 832,456 units o Other 14,963 units Average new car CO 2 emissions fell by 5.4% on the 2008 level to 149.5g/km in 2009 and then 3.5% to 144.2g/km in A and B rate cars accounted 6.5% market share in 2009 and 8.7% market share in 2010 Alternative Fuel Vehicles (petrol/electric, petrol/gas, electric, petrol/alcohol) market share rose to a new high of 0.8% in 2009, from 0.7% in (EU goal 5.75% 2010) Approximately 285,000 cars over 10 years old were removed from UK roads through the Car Scrappage Incentive Scheme. 8

9 The top 10 most popular cars sold in the UK 2010 Place Vehicle Number 2010 CO 2 emissions from (g/km) 1 Ford Fiesta 103, Vauxhall Astra 80, Ford Focus 77, Vauxhall Corsa 77, Volkswagon Golf 58, Volkswagon Polo 45, Peugeot , BMW 3 Series 42, Mini 41, Nissan Quashqai 39, Newly sold clean vehicles by type 9

10 What is a green car? The confusions about what a green car actually is have been huge. That is because the green car boom is largely emerged from local initiatives, a down-up perspective. In Europe some municipalities themselves have been defining what a green car is, to give these vehicles local benefits such as free parking and by asking for those cars qualifying for local benefits when they are purchasing more environmentally friendly vehicles. The situation was understandable but not acceptable. For consumers, it was hard to know what really defined a green car. Car-dealers found it difficult to advertise their green cars and critics have been easily able to dismiss the phenomenon with, "You do not even know what you're talking about." In the UK for now there is no formal definition of what a green car is. However, the introduction of the Motor Tax Bands could guide you to suggest that a green car in the UK is one which fits into Bands A to D i.e. currently below 130gC0 2 /km. Due to these vehicles paying zero road tax in their first year of use. Alternatively, it could be argued that only Band A cars are green cars, as these currently have zero road tax for the life of the vehicle. At an EU level the aim is for a 130gCO 2 /km target by 2012 which is inline with the first suggestion above. Green cars can be essentially classified into the following types - Local emission conventionally fuelled vehicles (petrol/diesel) that have lower than 130gC02/km emission levels - Electric vehicles - Flexi-fuel vehicles which can run on renewable biofuels - Hybrid vehicles that have lower than 130gC02/km emission levels Other definitions and regulations may emerge including More car sizes. A fuel consumption of 4 litres petrol/100 km is impressive for a midsize car such as a Toyota Prius, but not for a mini-car such as Smart. It is also impressive with a fuel consumption of 4.5 litres diesel / 100 km for a big car such as Volvo V70 and Volkswagen Passat. Therefore it is reasonable to introduce different car-sizes, which was already discussed when the clean vehicle definition was first introduced. Safety. The green car should have at least four stars in Euro NCAP, or similar, to get green car benefits, and anti-skid control system (as ABS) should be standard equipment. Lower limit on the emissions of fossil carbon dioxide. The current requirement of 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer will reasonably be reduced, perhaps to 100 grams. It affects mainly the many diesel vehicles emission just below 120 grams per kilometer. Increased efficiency requirements. Vehicles powered by renewable fuels will probably not be allowed to have emissions of carbon dioxide in excess of the 10

11 average car, which means about 180 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. The requirement affects the gas and ethanol vehicles with high fuel consumption. Stricter requirements for nitrogen oxides. Today's demands for particle purification supplemented with reasonable requirements for nitrogen oxides, which imposes some form of treatment. The requirement affects diesel cars. Noise. It is likely that we for the first time get noise requirements of new green cars, around 73 db for petrol cars and slightly higher for diesel vehicles. There are currently tax incentives schemes for individuals and companies to invest in electric vehicles including Tax incentives for business to purchase electric vehicles. Electric vehicles have zero percent company s car tax. Assistance for individuals purchasing electric vehicles including a 5,000 grant. Government vehicle purchases Government agencies are buying only a few thousand cars a year, so it's not really a particularly important market for car sales, except in small towns where a relocated government agency can be a dominant buyer. However, the state purchasing and leasing requirements are a benchmark for the rest of society, and the demands placed on the state vehicle purchases are likely to become general a few years later. It is therefore important for the car dealers to be aware of the new demands on government cars. An example from Sweden of the public procurement definitions for vehicles is outlined below The basic requirement for the definition is that the cars must meet EURO IV (cars registered before ) and EURO V (cars registered from ) or alternatively EURO Electricity Hybrid or EURO Electricity. For EURO IV diesel cars it is also necessary to meet- particulate emissions lower than 5 mg / km. In addition: Conventional cars (including hybrid cars): Petrol and diesel cars with carbon emissions that are not exceeding 120 grams per km. Alternative fuel-powered cars: Cars that can run on fuels other than gasoline, diesel or LPG and which have a fuel consumption not exceeding 9.2 litres of gasoline equivalent / 100 km or 9,7 Nm 3 (with atmospheric pressure) of gas / 100 km. Electric cars: A car belonging to the class EURO Electricity and an electric energy consumption per 100 kilometers which does not exceed 37 kwh (kilowatt-hours). There are other additional requirements in relation to safety, noise etc. also included. 11

12 Green car benefits Every car dealer with clean vehicles in their range should be highly aware of the green car benefits. It is easier said than done as they change over time, there are different benefits for different customer groups and to supplement the national benefits are a number of local ones. Below is a description of the main current benefits in the UK. Vehicle Excise Duty Car tax is designed to try to encourage car buyers to purchase more environmentally friendly cars, with lower car tax for environmentally friendly cars. Cars registered on or after 1 March 2001 (based on fuel type and CO 2 emissions). First year rates Cars registered on or after 1 st April 2010 (base on fuel type and CO2 emissions). From 1 April 2010, anyone buying a new car will pay a different rate of vehicle tax for the first tax disc. These are known as 'first year rates'. 12

13 Vehicles in bands A to D pay zero road tax in the first year. From the second tax disc onwards, the standard rate of vehicle tax will apply. This will send a stronger signal to the buyer about the environmental implications of their car purchase and will only apply to new cars, not already registered cars. Rates below are only payable for a vehicle s first tax disc taken out at first registration. How the tax bands are applied: Before a new model is put on sale in Europe, it must undergo a series of tests to ensure that it has achieved approved standards regarding safety, environmental impact, etc. This process is called Type Approval and each car achieving the approved standards is issued with a Certificate of Conformity. Among the details included on the Certificate of Conformity is the level of CO 2 emissions of the car. This is the information that will be used for taxation purpose. Electric Vehicle Financial Supports Since January 2011 the Department for Transport provides Plug-in electric car grants worth 5,000 against the cost of low-carbon vehicles including fully electric or plug-in hybrid cars. The grant fund has been capped at 43m but this will allow over 8,000 people to claim the full 5,000. The UK has substantial resources of wind and ocean energy accessible to it. By storing these intermittent supplies of wind and ocean power, highly efficient Electric Vehicles therefore offer the UK the opportunity to supply a significant proportion of its transport energy needs from its own energy resources while substantially reducing the associated CO 2 footprint. Advances in Lithium battery technology has led to the current development of passenger electric vehicles by mainstream suppliers such as Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi. With ranges of 160km on a single domestic overnight charge and fuel cost savings of up to 70% based on night time electricity prices, the fleet of vehicles emerging will have significant appeal to consumers. Exemptions from Congestion Charge Cars which emit 100g/km or less of CO2 and that meet the Euro 5 standard for air quality qualify for 100 per cent discount on the London Congestion charge. Some electric and plug-in hybrids are also exempt from the charge. To qualify for this discount, the vehicle must be registered with the Driver Licensing and Vehicle Agency (DVLA) and have a fuel type of 'electric'. Alternatively, it can be a 'plug-in hybrid' vehicle and listed on the TfL-approved list of eligible vehicles. Parking benefits Some Local Authorities offer 100% discounts on residential parking permits for green vehicles. The City of London ran a successful trial of free parking for all green vehicles from 2001 until 2008, but this was stopped as it was thought to be adding to vehicle congestion in the city. Many Local Authorities in different EU Countries provide free or reduce parking for green cars, based on a permit system (mainly). The benefits are different, with limitations in time 13

14 (how long one can park for free in almost all municipalities) and in location (where to park) - in quite a few. The benefit is not just about money. Many still believe that this means inconvenience and trouble to choose a green car - parking privileges disprove this. He who has a green car might not be so worried about parking controls, and does not need to change money for parking meters or suspend their meetings to put "more money in the meter." This part of the benefit is difficult to evaluate, but is a clear added value to be highlighted! Every car dealership with clean vehicles in the program should review if there might be an opportunity to engage with their Local Authorities to provide car benefits like free parking. They can then promote this as part of their sale of green cars. Fuel price By April 2013, fuel suppliers in the UK will have to include an average of 5% biofuels (fuels derived from sustainable sources) in their annual fuel sales. The Obligation will be on the companies in question and at no cost to the taxpayer. Consumers will not be obliged to modify their vehicles in any way. 100% Biofuels benefit from a reduction in fuel duty of 20p per litre over the sulphur-free diesel rate. Fuel efficient versions DRIVe, Blue Motion, Blue Efficiency, Efficient Dynamics, Greenline... just about every brand now offers fuel-efficient versions of their basic models. The concept varies, but these models generally consist of a lower chassis and refined aerodynamics, low rolling resistance tyres and higher tyre pressure, and in some cases, Start-Stop technology, modified valve or other engine modifications. The additional cost varies from a few hundred to pounds to well over 1,000. Many fuel efficient versions, but far from all, meet the green car definition. Most are diesel cars but there are also efficient versions using other fuels. For the car dealer, the efficient versions provide higher profits because the price is higher and margins are usually the same. But sales are also a challenge because in many cases it is difficult to recoup the additional cost in the form of a reduced fuel bill - saving only centilitres; the savings are only around a 100 euro per year. For those with the fuel efficient versions, which do not meet the green car definition the trump card is the exemption from vehicle tax which is high for diesels. For efficient versions that do not meet the green car definition this is the selling point rather the pleasure of having to fill up very rarely, the feeling of responsibility towards the environment and the assumption of a higher resale value when you come to sell. Many car tests of fuel efficient versions end up with questioning: "Why sell the nonefficient versions at all?" For non-motor journalists, the choice of the efficient version is not that obvious. The cars with hard pumping, low rolling resistance tyres can be perceived as less comfortable, the higher gear ratio can cause the car to feel slow. To be successful in 14

15 selling the fuel efficient version, it is particularly important that the car dealer explains the technology and gives the customer time to become familiar with it. Taxation of different fuels Fuel tax in the UK is constantly changing and has risen steadily over the last 15 years. Biofuels benefit from a reduction in fuel duty of 20p per litre over the sulphur-free diesel rate. The following table provides an overview of the make up of the tax as a proportion of fuel prices in the UK per litre 1.38 per litre VAT Duty Total Tax Pre-tax Price Tax as a percentage 61% 59% Trade-in Value Which cars are worth the most in the future - those that consume more or those that are more fuel efficient? Those that can only run on fossil petrol and diesel, or those that can also run on renewable fuels? The answer is obvious: The green car has on average a higher resale value than the non-green car and sold in greater numbers, leaving the exhibition hall faster than non-green-cars. Research in Sweden has confirmed cars running on biofuels having resale values 10% higher than fossil fuel cars. The petrol and diesel cars that are so fuel efficient that they have emissions below 120gCO 2 /km also have a higher resale value than similar models whose emissions are above the limit (over 120 gram CO 2 /km). Most of the extra cost of cars such as Volvo's efficient DRIVe models or similar Volkswagen Blue Motion may be paid back when it is sold, and while you own it, you experience lower fuel costs. The market for these fuel efficient diesel cars is still so new that there are no clear figures yet. However, it has been possible to compare one of the very first green-cars, the Audi A2 in 2001 in the fuel efficient diesel version (1.2 TDI, 61 hp), with the same car, non-green car rated and with a bigger diesel engine (1.4 TDI, 75 hp). After km the fuel efficient version with the smaller engine was worth 9,800 compared to 8,050 for the more powerful diesel version. This is also much more than for a newer, bigger and more powerful diesel car, with lower mileage. When it comes to used electric cars, there are so few available that it is difficult to assess the resale value yet. The condition of the batteries is the most important issue to check to be able to define the resale values for an electric vehicle: The electric motor and the gearbox (which is usually much simpler than for cars with an internal combustion engine) are even after some time almost as new. Most electric cars are short mileage cars because of the short range. When batteries need replacing, it's a great investment to trade up, so great that many electric cars ten years old or more will be forthcoming even though they 15

16 are otherwise fresh. If the previous owner replaces the battery, the car may have about the same value as its gasoline counterpart, but this still means that the first owner takes on much of the cost. Generally, a high resale value is of course good for the car dealership. Certainly, you pay more for the cars you trade in when the customer buys a new car, but above all you get more when selling them. In addition, it is good to be able to show the above figures to those who are hesitating to buy a new green car, on the basis that it is sometimes suggested that green cars would mean lower resale values than other cars. Image It is more and more common for the media, interest groups and others to comment on which cars companies or prominent politicians use. Thus, it has quickly become a risk factor to choose models that are not perceived as "politically correct" and which do not conform to the environmentally-friendly image you want to convey. To take such a risk is now quite unnecessary because there are eco-friendly cars in each size class available from most major car companies. Hertz has been awarded, by the Green Motorists, the Environmental Best Car Hire Company three years in a row, thanks to a high proportion of green cars. Across the EU there is competition among municipalities to be the best in the area of sustainable transport. In Sweden, Knivsta was beating the drums when the Miljöfordon Syd's national municipality survey showed that they, together with Lessebo municipality were first to reach 100 percent green passenger cars, while the Stockholm Environment Vice Mayor shone in front of television cameras after being appointed the best green car municipality in a survey by the Green Motorists. The public s attention to energy efficiency, environmental issues and cost efficiency was highlighted by media and public comment on Government Ministers recently arriving individually in large vehicles to a meeting. This is now changing with the use of green vehicles and other modes of transport being the norm. For the car dealer who wants to help customers to achieve a positive image and avoid criticism, it is worthwhile to highlight such examples. Electric cars 2011 is the first year when major brands will start selling electric cars in the regular car market - until now electric cars were either sold by the odd brand or only delivered in the form of test fleets. To sell an electric car will be quite different from selling other types of cars, including other types of green cars. The electric car will not be able to compete on selling price during the first few years, because most electric cars are more than 10,000 more expensive than the equivalent petrol or diesel car. For the dealer it is instead important to present a long-term vision where the car's low operating costs are discussed. For some brands the batteries are let/rented separately from the car, in order to reduce the perception of high new-car prices, and play down the issue of battery life and the cost of replacing them. It is understood, however, that the electric car has a significant additional 16

17 cost that other cars do not have. Price comparisons with the conventional car are not completely fair because it is slightly smaller. On the other hand, it has better performance and greater luggage space. It is important to compare, where possible, an electric car with a green/fuel efficient version of the same car (or similar type) as those who are thinking about electric cars are not likely to be considering purchasing a fuel-guzzling petrol car. As a result, the advantage of electric cars in the form of cheaper fuel remains rather small. The profit of course increases the more you drive, but electric cars have a limited range per charge. Combine that with the fact that in the coming years there will be limited fast charge outlets, and it becomes unreasonable to expect much more than km per year for an electric vehicle (there is also a limit on the rent for the car battery in this example). It is often cited that the electric car will have lower operating costs, because the electric motor has fewer moving parts, but at least initially, the service costs are expected to be higher for the electric car. Long term, however, the electric car will have lower maintenance costs and longer service intervals, because it has fewer moving parts and hence less wear. Financial incentives As previously stated there is a 5,000 grant (up to maximum 25% of the value of the car) in place for electric vehicles available until April 2013 or for the first 8,000 applicants. The grant covers certain types of cars: electric vehicles (EVs) these run completely on batteries and are plugged into the mains to be recharged plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) these use a petrol or diesel engine combined with a battery that plugs into the mains hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and other technologies may be considered The first nine cars to become eligible for the grant are: Mitsubishi imiev smart fortwo electric drive Peugeot ion Citroen CZero Nissan Leaf Information Tata Vista EV Toyota Prius Plug-in Vauxhall Ampera Chevrolet Volt Levels of knowledge about electric vehicles remain low and this is a unique opportunity for the car dealerships to work together with municipalities, energy companies and the environmental movement. It gives greater credibility to the municipality or energycompany who may account for part of the bill. It is not likely for you to achieve this at the launch of the next fuel guzzling SUV! Electric vehicle demonstrations are still so new that they generate positive press articles (except in the very largest cities), and - perhaps there is a connection here - local politicians and local celebrities participate gladly in a test drive of electric cars. To date, the availability 17

18 of electric cars is so small that hardly any municipality has been seen to be favouring a particular brand. Brands of electric cars on the program - now or just around the corner - have also, in many cases chosen to very publicly sign memoranda of understanding with municipalities and energy companies. In most cases these are not particularly binding on either party, but is mostly about getting the message out that you want to stimulate the development of a local electric car market. Charging stations/stands Source London is set to deliver 1,300 publicly accessible charge points in London by This is higher than the number of petrol stations in the same area. In addition electric vehicles can of course be charged at home. Currently in the UK there are over 700 charge points with 400 in London. The number of charging points has more than doubled in the past year. London, the Newcastle area and Oxford are the best served cities with charging infrastructure in the UK. 61% of towns and cities with a population over 120,000 have no public charging infrastructure at all. Charging points are also being installed by councils across the UK and private sector organisations such as supermarkets, Waitrose, Asda, Sainsbury and Tesco have all installed charging points over the last quarter and this will encourage electric vehicle users to charge their cars while carrying out other activities. Plugged in Places (PiPs) The Government is supporting the Plugged-In Places programme. To inform wider roll out of infrastructure as mainstream electric vehicles come to the UK. The scheme offers match-funding to consortia of businesses and public sector partners to support the installation of electric vehicle recharging infrastructure in lead places across the UK. Data derived from the programme about how drivers use and recharge their electric vehicles will provide the necessary evidence base to shape the design of a national system of recharging infrastructure. The Government is supporting eight Plugged-In Places: East of England Greater Manchester London Midlands Milton Keynes North East Northern Ireland Scotland 18

19 For car dealerships this is a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, it is important to emphasize that the electric car can be "refueled" wherever there is a charging contact. On the other hand, many people have "range anxiety," they worry that the range will be too short and need to be re-assured by seeing the charging stations at shopping malls, the large parking lots and similar. Customer groups So far, those who have bought electric cars have been a narrow, well-defined group of customers who basically decided to run an electric car, despite the cost. High additional costs, inadequate security and poor range have not been an obstacle. This client group is very narrow, including energy companies and wealthy environmentalists. Electric car sales have not even reached one hundred cars a year. For the next step, and for the electric car market to be of interest to the normal car dealers, the customer group needs to be widened substantially, which should become possible with the new generation of electric cars that are about to become available, where you do not have to compromise with the security, where the pricing is more reasonable and the range is perceived as adequate for everyday use. Among the potential customers that car sales should turn to early are: Municipalities. Municipalities dominate the electric car purchases to date. They see the symbolic value of having a number of electric cars in operation, and are relatively price insensitive if they have decided to buy electric cars. Energy companies. Both the major electricity companies of the smaller municipalities have been out of the starting blocks early in the transition to electric cars. They see of course a new market for electricity which they want to realise. Inner City dwellers in the upper middle class. The inner urbanite has often relatively short journeys, which fits well for the electric car. More affluent households have more than one car, and can complement the electric car with a car for long trips. In larger cities it is also easier to imagine supplementing the electric car through occasionally renting a car, or joining a carpool. Housing in rural areas. No electric car marketing has hitherto marketed electric cars in rural areas, but here is an interesting group of customers because whilst it could be long distances to the closest fuel station they have power outlets on the corner of the house. Taxis. With taxis long distances may seem impossible to reconcile with electric cars short range, but if there are fast charging stations it will clearly be possible for them to replace a large portion of their vehicles to electric cars. 19

20 Sell, lease or a combination? The electric car is a new phenomenon and the automotive industry has not quite decided how the offer to the customer should look. Three main lines can be distinguished: Lease the car. Citroën and Peugeot seem to want to stick to primarily leasing cars with a guaranteed trade-in value, which gives a fixed and affordable monthly rate and security for the customer who does not need to worry about battery life or its trade-in value. Sell the car, lease the batteries. Renault has at least initially opted for this approach, which makes the car's purchase price comparable to petrol or diesel cars, while the cost of batteries can be compared with the monthly cost of fuel. Thus, the customer no longer needs to worry about battery life, while car dealers can continue with a focus on selling cars. Sell the car, including batteries. Nissan, Tesla, Think, and many others have chosen this path - which is the same way that car dealers in general are operating. The car dealer business will not assume responsibility for such maintenance of the batteries. In order to reduce customer concerns included batteries and power trains are often covered by a long warranty, which in some cases can be extended at additional cost. Depending on which direction has been chosen, the strategy for marketing will be different. Sell the car with battery - the similarities of buying any other kind of car will be stressed. Sell the car with batteries excluded - stress that the only thing that really can feel new and untested for many (electric motors we already are familiarly with every day long) is taken care of for the customer. If the car is leased with a guaranteed trade-in value, it underlines how much safer it is for the customer, compared to other brands where those who want an electric car have to take a major responsibility for both batteries and tradein value. Light duty vehicles Many dealers also sell light duty vehicles, although it is usually divided physically in the showroom, and with different sales men for each. In the light duty vehicle side, the environmental evolution is less advanced, but next year, a rapid shift is likely to occur. It depends on several factors: EU's future emissions standards for light duty vehicles, vans and pick-ups Rising fuel prices that are steering the transport industry towards more economical vehicles More stringent environmental requirements from purchasers The EU is expected to decide that light duty vehicles, per brand on average, shall emit a maximum of 175 grams CO2 per kilometer by , complemented by a long-term target of 95 grams per kilometer in The actual average was just over 200 grams in The EU's proposal offers a "super credit" for light commercial vehicles with 20

21 emissions below 50 g CO2/km: they will be count as 2.5 light-duty vehicles in 2014, 1.5 light-duty vehicles in 2015 and a light commercial vehicle from This gives new incentives to the motor trade to sell light commercial vehicles with low emissions, and will particularly enhance the market for light duty vehicles with electric or plug-in hybrid technology. A number of Local Authorities are looking at vehicle purchasing and including energy and environmental performance in the purchasing criteria. This will create new opportunities and sales for car dealers which stock cleaner light vehicles. The car dealers have, over the last ten years, sold continuously more powerful motor vehicles, which have eaten into the technical emissions reductions that would otherwise have occurred. In recent years there has been a series of smaller diesel-powered light duty vehicles, whose fuel consumption is so low that they meet the clean vehicle requirements for passenger cars. It has also seen a series of gas-powered vehicles, mainly vans, and some electric cars from niche manufacturers being classified as light duty vehicles. The car dealers have not progressed as far in the environmental marketing of light duty vehicles as for passenger cars, largely because there have not been the same clear incentives such as green-car bonus, and now vehicle tax exemption. But when the transport vehicle's annual mileage is several times longer than passenger cars, the argument about low fuel costs is much more relevant and should be used more by those who sell vehicles with emissions down to the 120 gram CO2/km level, which is the border for clean passenger cars. 21

22 Conversion of existing cars into renewable fuels It is permissible to convert existing cars to bio-fuel. To gain from any of the extra benefits (i.e. exemption from congestion charges) the requirements for conversion are such that it can only be done by approved converting companies - not by individual garage enthusiasts. So far, the market has not massively taken off, partly because the regulations are so strict that the investment is too high, both to individuals who want to convert and for the workshop which will offer conversion. Influencing the general agent The dedicated dealer reads many different automotive magazines. Here they may see models from the dealer's "own" brand, but that does not exist in the UK. Maybe there are even some brands that are not sold in the UK at all, but that could fill a demand in the market - such as an electric car from China, which is already sold in the UK. For car dealers who want models that are not sold in the UK, it is time to move up a gear in lobbying your agent. Your car dealership of course meets the general agent or the importer on a regular basis, but how often is it on your initiative, or with concrete proposals from your side? If you want to sell clean cars that are in the car manufacturer's program, but not sold in the UL, you should talk to your general agent. Sometimes there are good reasons why the cars are not sold here. In addition to the regular models, it is also good to be able to produce special models with a clear environmental profile. BMW was named the Lobbyist of the year when in 2007 they demonstrated their hydrogen-powered 7-series at a number of high profile events in Europe. The car is not available commercially, but to show up and get famous people to test drive it was an important part of brand marketing. The same thing is happening now with a number of electric cars that are on tour in Ireland the UK a year or more before they are on general sale. It has not only given extensive positive publicity, but also was important in establishing early pre-orders for the cars.. In addition, the demonstration of electric cars has been important for municipalities to invest early in charging stations and other measures that makes the rest of the market ready when electric cars become available commercially. It is therefore important that you as a car dealership are participating in such exhibitions and activities. Electric car shows are a double-edged sword; on one hand a short-term risk for the regular sale of cars some customers may be waiting for the electric cars. It is therefore important to highlight electric cars as a part of the car company's overall environmental initiative, next to the other green cars which can already be purchased. "Dream of the electric car tomorrow, buy a green car today" should be the aim. Maybe there are vehicles that you determine that the general agent should not sell? Swedish Toyota has decided to no longer take in some particularly fuel-guzzling vehicles, where the manufacturer has environmentally friendly alternatives, and others should follow the same example. Are there cars that risk damaging the green image of the 22

23 brand? If so suggest that you no longer import them. You can of course also take such a decision locally - no one can force the local car dealership to sell all available models, and the car dealers choose which ones should be highlighted and which should not. The head office should of course also be an environmental front-runner from other perspectives, not least because this is where your brand is judged by most motor journalists and other key lobbying groups. Many brands are seeking to or already have achieved relevant environmental standards e.g. ISO If they can achieve this, then your general agent can also do so. If they have not started the environmental work already, propose that they do so. Affect the manufacturer Many dealers and importers, have the problem that their brand has very few green car models on the program, or even none at all. This means that many consumers do not give the brand a chance, while the consumer's choice to select the brand they want is limited. The lack of specific fuel-efficient petrol and diesel versions can often be remedied relatively quickly. Volkswagen has its BlueMotion models which demonstrate that with relatively simple measures it is possible to lower the fuel consumption by more than ten percent, which in many cases is enough to fulfill the green car definition maximum of 120 grams of fossil carbon dioxide per kilometre. Nowadays, almost all car brands have their corresponding fuel efficient version; Blue Efficiency, DRIVe, Efficient Dynamics, Greenline... Why not decide to completely stop stocking the corresponding non-efficient versions? >> The manufacturer needs to know that the green car boom has come to stay, and your general agent is the best way to say it>> 23

24 The Showroom The impact of the showroom When it comes to the showroom and how to design it. We need to look at Carstedt Car in Umeå, Sweden for inspiration. The car sales are included in the Green Zone, an area in Umeå, which has been developed with support from Ford, McDonald's and Statoil. All involved in the Green Zone are eco-aware and all operations are certified according to ISO When the area was constructed, it minimized interference by excavation and filling, and retaining much of the area's biological diversity. The house that previously stood on the field has not been demolished but moved to where it could again be used as a residential property. All materials can be reused or recycled. Building parts are bolted or screwed instead of nailed, so that both bolts and wood materials can be reused. The buildings are energy efficient and the heat required is provided from heat-pumps, solar and the ground. The showroom has an air and sun collector that heats the ventilation air, so that the need to provide energy for heating is reduced. With natural ventilation the need for cooling in the showroom is further reduced. The roof of all buildings is covered with vegetation, which reduces the need for cooling in summer, picking up 50 percent of all rainwater and serving as shelter for insects. In addition, the life-time for the underlying cardboard roof is doubled, because it is protected by vegetation. Electricity for lighting, processes and for top-up heating comes from a wind farm on the coast. The buildings are connected by culverts, so that the surplus energy can be recovered, mainly the heat from McDonald's grills and fryers, and Statoil's warm surface water. The surplus energy is transported to the heat pump in the car Carstedt building. The total energy demand for the car dealer business is about 60 percent lower than for a modern, conventional plant. >> All participants in the Green Zone are environmentally aware and all operations are certified according to ISO >> Almost all the asphalt has been replaced with gravel, concrete slabs and "reinforced grass, which grows between the specially shaped stone slabs. With rainwater draining naturally, plants may receive more space and the temperature increase which a paved ground surface experience s is reduced. Around the plant there are streams that purify the surface water leading to a water reservoir where the water flows and a natural purification takes place. The drain system is sorting waste water into three systems, for bathing, washing and cleaning water; waste 24

25 water from toilets; and oily wastewater from floor gutters and wells in the shop and car wash. Bath, dish and laundry water is purified in a local treatment plant and water from Statoil's car wash is treated in its own treatment plant. No water goes to the municipality surface water system. >> All persons in managerial and responsibility positions have been educated in energy awareness>> It is easy to dismiss such establishments as nice but irrelevant. Almost no car facilities are built up from scratch, and there is not enough money for extensive renovations of existing facilities. However, it is wrong to think in that way. More and more eco-friendly investments are now profitable. There are lots of examples and actions which car dealers can take for example: - an action plan to reduce their electricity consumption by 20 percent where a car dealers take control of how much electricity they actually used, which required a new electricity supplier, which could provide accurate data for consumption. - photographing buildings by infrared camera to find energy leaks - examining all electrical appliances to see which ones can be exchanged for lower power consumption models. - All persons in managerial and responsibility positions to be educated in energy awareness. Toyota's European headquarters have supported the Toyota dealer in Malmö building the most energy efficient plant in Europe, using eco-friendly and recyclable materials. The installation should be a model for other showrooms worldwide. The entire facility is ISO certified and each year goals are decided for decreasing the electricity consumption, as well as for average carbon dioxide emissions from vehicle sales. In 2009 the objective was 145 g / km; the outcome g / km. Some companies have an environmental policy with specific targets: 1. All hazardous waste is sorted by the intended receiver. 2. Halve the amount of other waste. 3. Only use approved chemicals. 4. Reduce solvent emissions per car painted. 5. Reduce water consumption by including recycling and energy consumption through increased awareness and improved technology. 6. Increase employees' environmental awareness through education. 7. Actively communicate and increase our environmentally friendly product range. Changing electricity is among the easiest to do - almost all electricity companies offer 25

26 some type of Green electricity. Switching to a Green tariff will eliminate the need to pay the Climate Change Levy (CCL). How do the customers find the showroom? We called the front desk or switchboard for ten car dealers and asked how to travel by public transport to their showrooms. Result? Not one knew. "It is so rare that people take the bus here," as someone said. No wonder if you cannot get meaningful information about how to do so! But isn t it the very purpose of car dealers that many will go away from their showroom in a new car, and then at least sometimes have the pleasure of coming without a car? By getting more people to use public transport to the showroom, it is possible to reduce the total environmental impact of motor-vehicle distribution - much of the environmental impact of showrooms is from trips to and from it. You can easily encourage environmentally friendly travel if you: Have clear information on your website how to reach you by bus, train or other public transport. Have the same information at the reception and immediately inside the front door. Ensure that there are sheltered bicycle parking spots next to the main entrance, and keeping these clean of broken glass and other things that can cause problems. Book a green car when the customer needs a loan car when their car is in for service. Train the salesmen Brands that have significant numbers of green cars have also ensured that the dealers have basic facts about the cars environmental benefits, usually through special training and sales manuals. The most ambitious use independent organisations to give an outsider's perspective which is not only about the own car s brand. Green car training of the sales men should not be a one-off, because environmental issues are constantly evolving and may change in focus, as along with the benefits for the customers of choosing a green car. Ensure that the salespeople have relevant environmental information, which probably means that there is a need for training sessions each year, with shorter updates when there are specific changes. Eco-driving for the sales men is a good complement to the training in environmental issues, which partly means that your salespeople are good examples of environmental work and can inform others, so that the company's fuel bill falls and profits rise! However, information on its own is not enough - sellers should be environmentally 26

27 stimulated with economic incentives, so that they get higher commissions when they sell green cars and environmentally friendly accessories than when they sell other cars and accessories. A recommendation is to design these schemes together, so that everyone knows and accepts the reward system. Involve all employees Who is the most successful car dealer - the one where only the employees hired as salesmen sell cars, or the one where all employees are involved in selling? And which car dealer has the best environmental profile - the one where only a few have learned about environmental issues, or where the environmental thinking permeates the entire business? The most rewarding training sessions have involved all employees at the car dealer, from the workshop to the front desk and payroll department, because everyone has questions, because everyone should be able to provide the right answers, but also because in an effective organization all are sellers, of your cars and your environmental message. And if you do environmental work in a serious way, it should involve everybody. What the staff in reception and switchboard says determines the first impression the customers get from your car dealer, and the engineering personnel are the only one your customers meet when they have no intention of buying a new car. So, if not all staff have already been trained in environmental issues and green cars, make sure that they are! 27

28 Company Cars What impression are you giving if you go to client meetings to sell green cars - in a large petrol-guzzling SUV? How credible is the sales manager if he invites customers to buy green cars, but does not have one himself? Your service is what you are judged on and your company cars are your window to the world, this is what the people in the town see you in every day and also the first impression your customers get when you do business visits - long before you even open your mouth. Few car dealers have a strategy of driving green cars to encourage customers to buy them. At Toyota's head office, the staff car park is full of hybrid cars. However around the country, it is common that sellers are running the conventional Avensis - the car Toyota use to compare with in order to highlight the major environmental benefits that are to be gained by choosing hybrid technology. Review the cars you have as company cars, so that they are as eco-friendly as possible giving special priority to the cars that are particularly green e.g. the Toyota Prius. Of course, buyers have to test and get acquainted with all these products, but the cars that send out -environmentally un- friendly signals should not serve as official company cars. Also consider the beneficiary cars. First, consider the question of how many employees are really motivated - car dealers often offer employees company cars as a reward as it is convenient for them. Of course good staff should be rewarded, but this is not always the best way. However if you do choose to reward staff with a company car, make sure that the cars offered are in line with the green image you wish to convey. >> How does it look like if you are going to client meetings to sell green cars -in a large petrol-guzzling SUV? >> 28

29 What are your goals? What is easiest to achieve - a specific target or an overall vision? What stimulates you most - milestones to be achieved in the short term, or an ambitious and long-term ultimate goal? Many organisations have decided to no longer purchase non-green cars - why should they? Exceptions are made for special vehicles where there aren t always green rated cars as alternatives, but vehicles like these are rarer to come across. In addition to the decision to no longer purchase non-green cars many have also set targets for the overall fleet, thus including all the cars that already exist. These objectives are particularly beneficial for car dealers because they accelerate the exchange of the fleet and thus increase the amount of potential business. What s even more beneficial is that if you set a goal to sell a certain percentage of green cars in a certain year, without reservation for a continuously harder clean vehicle definition. When it is implemented (eg to 100 g CO 2 / km compared to the current 120 g CO 2 / km), the share of green cars will decrease and more will need to be replaced. If a new and more powerful green car is introduced, it could open a door to a new and interesting business. There is a risk that if we do not adopt new goals in this area that the additional market will disappear. Therefore, it is essential that new objectives are adopted, and that they are as far reaching as possible. We have a long way to go before 100% of cars are green. Those who have already achieved the most should review the composition of green vehicles and phase out fossil fuel cars, in line with tax incentives towards A and B rated cars. Specific goals for getting electric cars should also be looked into as it would be positive for both the environment and the car dealers. Car dealers have not been particularly active in the formulation of these goals for their clients, and people rarely have environment-related sales objectives in mind- why? Swedish Toyota has adopted national climate targets for new car sales. It is based on the average number of grams of carbon dioxide as their cars emit per kilometer aiming that by the year 2015 the EU average is below120 g / km as the EU and the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers have agreed upon. The goal is then "translated" into individual targets, year by year, and for each car dealer. The individual objectives are related to the last year s sales mix, so that those who, for example, sell a lot of pick-ups in rural areas are permitted to have higher average emissions than those who primarily sell small cars for city dwellers. When you reach the target, you are rewarded in different ways - but the important thing is to stimulate competition between the dealerships that is in the best interest of the environment. If you still do not have a green target for your sale of cars, set one! Suggest it for national level, and get out in front by being the sole garage with a target, express it in g CO2/km on average, from new cars you sell. Institute some form of competition between different car dealers - and make sure that the price is in line with the message. A weekend trip to Rome would be wrong... but a weekend to a green hotel with a renewable heating system may be right. 29

30 The goal you decide upon should be in line with the EU's decision that new cars from 2012 on average per car brand should be allowed to emit a maximum of 130 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. The goal is also related to the car's weight, so lighter vehicles have higher requirements and heavy vehicles may emit a little bit more. Furthermore, car brands can trade with each other, so that if it surpasses its target can sell cars with "emission allowances" in comparison to others. Communicate clearly what climate ambitions you have, so that your customers are involved in efforts to reduce emissions - and so the goal is a natural part of your marketing. Print it, frame it and put it up in the entrance to the car dealership, so you portray a message of climate commitment to the customers. Have a formal launch of your climate ambitions? While this manual is being written, it is still possible to be the first to have a climate goal (also for second-hand (used) sales). Why not also take a green responsibility for the used cars you sell? If you do not know how to calculate the carbon footprint of your car sales, Severn Wye Energy Agency who would be happy to assist you in the process. 30

31 Environmental Awards Many towns/regions/countries have their own environmental awards that often include initiatives in the automotive sector because the protection of the environment in the carsector is so important for the local environment and the global climate. Environmental Awards are nice to receive. Almost no environmental prizes increase the company s turnover in the short term, but they are an important signal to your customers - existing and potential - that your environmental work is serious, and you are motivating the people to new and bigger achievements. Look up your Local Authorities website to see if they have an external environmental award or not. If they already have one, review the criteria. Fit it into your business, so you may be nominated. Often it is enough to write down your reasons, but sometimes it must take place at a particular time, on a special form and may be submitted by an independent actor. Is there no environmental prize, or does your business not fit in? Contact the environmental manager, town clerk or mayor and propose a change. They may have no interest in promoting your car dealer business however they will have commitment in creating a more environmentally friendly transport sector. Are there other local environmental awards you can get? Also banks or local business associations may have prizes that may be of interest to you. It is also possible to institute your own environmental award, (which you should not give to yourself). By providing an environment or climate change prize, you signal to the world that your commitment is serious, while you help a worthy winner of the prize to spread their message. The prize may in any way relate to your business, so why not narrow it to the "best climate initiative in the transport sector" or something similar? Get inspiration from existing environmental prizes, which can easily be found online. Ask the local environment movement for assistance, and also to judge and hand over for your prize. It also increases the credibility of both the prize and for your commitment to the environment. VIP arrangements What do you offer to your best customers? Most dealers understand that their best customers should be treated well, but the way it is done is often without any reflection or message. Of course you will invite your customers to play golf, dinner or similar outings if this is what works best - but why not make sure that you are the one that best helps the client to understand the future of consumer and regulatory requirements? Arrange breakfast meetings on the climate issue, adapted to current affairs and with access to your products. You should not give away flights to those who bought a car, and 31

32 nothing says more un-environmentally friendly than a weekend with the car at a race track! It s is much better to provide a prize with a high sense of luxury but with a low carbon footprint, perhaps a weekend at an award winning eco-hotel. Events A couple of times a year, the typical car dealer arranges an "open house", usually associated with the new model of car arrived that year. The kids usually get some treats. The person who tests a car may receive raffle ticket or U2 s latest CD. The car dealer who does all of this will surprise no one, and not stand out from the crowd and will miss the chance to communicate a message. As the car market is developing continuously, the new cars normally have better environmental performance than the models they replace. Take advantage of this and have the environment as a theme. Have a quiz about green cars, teach eco-driving in a fun way, with a high efficient car rally with a 20km drive and the car with the lowest fuel consumption wins a prize. Maybe you can also borrow or hire a simulator for eco-driving, a simple, interesting and popular way to get customers to try out while they are learning something important. This is also something that has been shown to attract the media to the showroom. Sponsorship Do any of the car brands you sell sponsor a major environmental funds e.g Saab has sponsored the World Wildlife Fund. If so find out if you can do something under the banner of this sponsorship locally. Do a proper review of what you are sponsoring and supporting today, and see if the money can be more useful elsewhere. Make sure you have eco-oriented support. For example a local environmental organization that is doing a good job. 32

33 Environmental information on the Web Several automakers have useful information on the car's environmental impact on its website. On car dealer sites, few had information available on how the customer can reduce their environmental impact. You do not need to spend endless time doing extensive environmental pages on your website, which is often quite limited in both its scope and the number of visitors. But make it easier for customers by offering the environmental information that should be relevant for them. Local environmental benefits. Do green cars have free parking in the town? National green car benefits. Which of your cars fulfill the national green car definition? Which have Reduced Road Tax levels? Present the information in a simple table (note that it is the same rules that apply for the whole country, so perhaps someone has already collected and presented the information). Additional information. Do you sell electric cars? Does your company at national level have a specific forum for green cars? & Environmental information in the showroom A car showroom has a lot of walls. In many showrooms the walls are metallic or painted concrete. Take advantage of these surfaces to communicate environmental issues. Have good, brand-neutral posters on these walls. Make sure that the Consumer Agency's information about cars and the environment is available on the brochure stands. Do you have a reading corner? Make sure that the more traditional car magazines are located where Transport & Environment and other information on cars and the environment. Tell the client that he need not take the printed brochures home, all information is also available on the web. 33

34 Advertising Advertising plays a central role on how the public perceive your car company. Many adverts are centrally designed, but the local car dealer can often choose which ones you want. You can also create your own adverts for local media. Few things are as uninspired as local car ads. They almost always follow the same format, with images of a couple cars, a brief description of them, prices are printed in large and some form of special offer. Avoid terms like "environmentally friendly", as declared by the one Consumer Agency to be misleading to the consumer (the environment does not feel better because of the fact that the car was driven) - saying that this model is better than other cars is enough. Refrain also from concepts with unclear meanings, as "energy efficient", "efficient" and "gentle to the environment". Ford was convinced to change its adverts to adverts where the picture said 'Best ever emissions" and the trees said "The first car I wanted to hug ". It's just a matter of time before someone calls their upcoming electric vehicles "zero emission" is investigated by the Consumer Agency. An electric car has no tailpipe emissions but still has emissions from the production of the electricity which it is powered with. Renault's motto "emission-free while it is running" is an elegant way to solve the dilemma, "pollution free from exhaust pipe" is also possible because the emissions from coal-fired or nuclear power plants do not count as coming from the cars exhaust pipe. However, it is free to highlight the real benefits, as Saab's: "More power, less greenhouse effect", or actual awards, as Ford's "Best Environmental Car according to Green Motorist. More questionable - at least ethically - is to use awards from a very different market conditions in local advertising, as when Citroën in nationwide ads (in Sweden) calling themselves the "Year's cleanest car manufacturer, based on an assessment of the English Green Fleet, which was based on the vehicles brand and its competitors sell in the UK market. 34

35 Accessories After Sales Service Much of the car dealer sales consist of the after-sales products and services associated with the motor. This after-sale process is in no way threatened by the green car boom, which on the contrary, often means increased opportunities to sell accessories for the car just sell the right accessories! Positive equipment Many car dealers have a much higher profit margin on the accessories they sell than on the car itself. This is particularly the truth for accessories that are sold locally, while the final equipment package from the factory is a middle ground - often in practice it is not possible to buy a car without at least some of the standard equipment packages. Parts of the old environmental movement seems to view it as an end in itself, that the car will be destitute, simple and without equipment beyond what the factory offers as basic package. Maybe it's because many of the environmental movement groups have grown up with Renault 4 or the original Volkswagen Beetle? From an environmental perspective it is in any case wrong - many accessories mean a reduction in overall environmental impact of the car and when you sell them you will contribute both to greater selfprofitability and a better world. Below we list the accessories that you should strive to sell. Traction control Representatives from many National Road Safety Agencies have indicated that "traction control reduces the risk of crashing in a severe assembly and a single vehicle crash on wet or slippery road surface by 50 percent." In environmental terms the technique is particularly positive because it reduces the need for studded tires and four-wheel drive vehicles, which both have a clear negative impact on the environment. Therefore, it is clearly positive that traction control is standard equipment on approximately ninety percent of the cars sold today. ESP, electronic stability program is often used to designate a more advanced traction control, and many manufacturers have their own brand names for their traction control. If your car dealer company sells cars that do not have traction control as standard, you should consider having it as a "local standard" - that all the cars you sell have this equipment. Secondly, you should work actively to get all customers to choose this optional equipment. Models that are offered without traction control should be considered not for sale. Tyres One of the major environmental and safety lapses in modern motor trade is that you do not always know what tyre brand you get on the car. Most car manufacturers use multiple tyre brands for their cars. It is mainly because they want to secure the supply and that different markets prioritize certain tyre brands. For consumers, this means that the wet grip, braking distances and environmental characteristics will differ slightly. But the differences are not major between tyre 35

36 manufacturers supplying tires for a set of requirements for passenger automobiles.. Many add several hundreds of pounds on selecting alloys but not everyone thinks of the tires that sit on the alloys. There is an opportunity to help and improve both safety and the environment by providing advice and information, while car dealers can increase their reputation and their revenues. Guide the car buyers so that she or he makes an active choice of tyres where the following characteristics should be highlighted: Smooth-running: Tyres with particularly low rolling resistance reduces fuel consumption by up to five percent. They do not necessarily have to cost more to buy. They do however quickly reduce fuel costs through lower fuel consumption. Several of the major tyre brands have a series of very energy efficient tires, including Goodyear Efficient Grip (Swan-labeled) and the Michelin Energy Saver. Make sure that you get low rolling resistance tires on the car even though these tires are not standard. Today's generations of low rolling resistance tires usually perform well in wet and dry conditions. HA oil-free: All new tires manufactured after January 1, 2010, must be completely HA oilfree to be allowed to sell on the market under the EU's new rules. Therefore give particular attention to the production code - DOT fr.om 0110 (week/year) for the tyres you buy. They may be old tires in trade for some time. Marking of tyres and consumer information: The EU has decided that all passenger car tyres (studded tyres are exempted) from 1 November 2012, must have a label that has information about the tyre's performance on three areas: rolling resistance (energy), wet grip (safety) and tyre noise (environmental). Here the consumer can see and compare different tyres and values against each other. A tyre label is in design similar to those previously found in the home appliance industry with seven different levels on a color scale. Noise is specified in decibels. Narrow: Overly wide tyres can mean unnecessarily high fuel consumption for example the tyre on a racing bicycle usually does not exceed 23 mm wide. Abnormally wide tyres give better grip but often from a purely aesthetic option this is not favoured! The same applies to tyres in larger dimensions, which is a fairly common option especially for larger trucks and SUVs. Going up from example 205 mm to 245 mm width probably means that the weight increases, resulting in lower comfort, while the total weight and air resistance is increased - and thus increases fuel consumption. Lifetime: Another important environmental and cost aspect of the tyre is the life-time. The more a tyre can give, the less raw materials needed and the less it likely it is to go to the recycling systems. Therefore, choose a brand with well-known long life-time and with high performance at all times. Tyre pressure and tyre pressure monitor (TPMS) To have too low a tyre pressure is dangerous because tyre grip will lose performance. It is also not environmentally friendly because the resistance will increase and thereby increase consumption and decrease the lifetime. Still about a third of all passenger cars 36

37 have tyre pressures (from 0.5 bar lower pressure than recommended) in one or more tyres and this is also a safety hazard. This means that you should be making sure to always have at least the recommended tyre pressure in all tyres specified by the automaker (check your manual which is in the manual, the fuel cap or on the pole at the driver's door). Incidentally, the recommended value is a minimum pressure, so for those who want to reduce fuel consumption even further, you can easily increase the pressure by about 10% without losing comfort, safety and the lifetime of the tyres are affected. Tyre pressure should be checked every month. Few cars already have an automated tyre pressure monitor as standard. However, some offer it as an option. If you sell cars where you can select this as an option, make an effort to sell it! It is also possible to buy tyre pressure monitors separately from some of the tyre brands, as well as from car accessories shops. Perhaps a good gift to give to attract customers to the shop one weekend? Tyre Pressure Monitoring System becomes mandatory in new cars when the EU tyre label system starts in Navigation system (or GPS) Only the most expensive cars have navigation systems as standard and as an option from the manufacturer. A mobile navigation system (GPS) costs from 100 and has several advantages. It can be moved between multiple cars, can also be used in a leisure boat or to find places in the city when you are walking. Several studies show that the navigation system reduces fuel consumption by an average of five percent or more. It depends mostly on if you are navigating to the right place from the start, but also because the modern system warns of traffic jams and road works, thus contributing to a better planning of routes. Most of the mobile navigation systems are purchased in a shop or on the Internet, but it is better for the environment and the economy if the car dealer business sells them from day one. >>... Navigation systems reduces fuel consumption by an average of five percent or more>> Sunroof (or roof hatch) Sunroof (or roof hatch) had for a while almost disappeared as an option. This was mainly due to the wide introduction of air conditioning and climate control systems. Now it has come back, but mostly in the form of an expensive, opening glass roof you have to order as part of the car's factory-fitted equipment. The simpler sunroof is not very common, which environmentally is a shame and means a lost opportunity for additional sales. The increased fuel consumption due to the open sunroof (caused by the increasing air resistance) is much lower than what an air conditioner can cause. Not many will choose a sunroof instead of air conditioner, but each time it is opened instead of turning on the air conditioning, the fuel consumption and carbon footprint is reduced. 37

38 Training Those who learn eco-driving, decrease the average fuel consumption and also the car's climate impact, by approximately percent. Several car brands offer this as an option with the car, which of course reduces the car's overall climate impact and may be rewarded in the future European emission limits for new cars. In addition to offering general education as a sort of extra equipment, you can educate key players in corporate and municipal clients to be "Internal Saving Coaches" along with local driving schools. A Saving Coach is a quality-assured method for companies and organizations to save fuel, money and the environment. >>Those that learn eco-driving decrease the average fuel consumption and also the car's climate impact by up to percent. >> Inconclusive equipment Several possible alternatives of equipment must be assessed case by case, since they may both increase and decrease the environmental impact. Below we list the most important, that you as a car dealer should consider based upon the specific customer situation. Automatic An automatic gearbox no longer means increased fuel consumption - some types of automatic transmissions can result in lower consumption than the manual version. Examples include the CVT-boxes and automatic gearboxes with seven or eight gears. Also semi-automatic or manual transmissions boxes with double clutch (DSG) can help to reduce consumption. Generally, automatic transmissions still increase the consumption compared to the manual. Every dealer should review the range of gearbox options which exist for the different cars on offer, and seek to stimulate sales of those which give the lowest consumption. Often the most economical option, gives increased revenue per car sold, compared with the basic alternative. Negative equipment Four wheel drive The four wheel drive technology has been significantly developed during recent years. For example an increasing number of four wheel drive cars in the normal cases only run on one pair of wheels, with automatic connection of the second pair of wheels when needed, and the mechanical systems have been replaced by electronic ones. Four-wheel drive still means that the weight and consumption increases, and in real life tend to be higher than official consumption figures shown, because the four-wheel drive technology does not work in the test. 38

39 In most cases there are no longer reasons to choose four-wheel drive. Four wheel drive does not increase the road safety significantly, not even under slippery conditions. Traction control system provides increased drivability as needed. The exception is in extremely slippery road conditions and especially when towing a trailer when the fourwheel drive is helpful. If a customer wants to buy a four wheel drive, you should then go through the customer's real need for mobility and see if they can be better solved by other means. For example, when driving in deep snow, a four-wheel drive only really helps when it is combined with high ground clearance which is missing on most four-wheel drive passenger cars. Air conditioning system A few years ago, air conditioning systems or climate control systems were reserved to expensive luxury cars. Now it's almost standard for all cars, even in the small cars, which from an environmental perspective is a shame. In a small car on a hot day the air conditioner can increase the fuel consumption and hence carbon footprint by forty percent! Therefore, it is positive if less people choose air conditioning, where it is not included in the standard equipment. The most important thing is to inform the customer about the air conditioners high energy consumption so that it remains off when it is not needed. >> In a small car on a hot day the air conditioner can increase fuel consumption and hence carbon footprint by forty percent! >> Complementary Activities Retail shop In showrooms everything is sold, often from candy, car care products to petrol. In this area a lot can be done to reduce the environmental impact - without reducing the revenues. Remember: Offer eco-labeled products. Car care products should be labeled with the eco-label, etc. or similar, and the food and sweets should be locally produced as far as possible. Throw out the BAD BOYS. Many products for car care are unnecessary and only contribute to an overall higher use of chemicals. Refrain from selling the most obvious unnecessary products as special products to care for the inside car clothing or special products for cleaning the car rims. If they still must be sold, select primarily those that are eco-labeled. Car Wash Washing your car on the street is bad for the environment as you can t control what products enter into the water draining system, so offer your customers the opportunity to 39

40 wash their cars in a proper car wash reducing the total environmental impact. The environmental impact is reduced because the used water with the dirt is treated and reused, instead of letting it out untreated into the drains. >> Several car rental companies and towns prefer to wash their cars in an environmentally certified car wash... >> Modern car washes are often more effective than older ones, and even better is the car wash that meets an Eco Standard. They generally must have low emissions of toxic metals and oil, a maximum water consumption of up to 70 litres per wash and only use chemicals whose effects on health and the environment are well known and documented. In addition, the staff has to be trained and the car wash has to give a clean car - otherwise it's no reason to wash it. Do you have an environmentally friendly car wash? By having a green conscience, you can make money on it. Offer "green washing cards" to, for example taxi companies and car rental companies. Offers 500 in petrol-vouchers. A trip for two to Paris. Hot dogs, balloons and candy to the kids. Children s entertainment. The above are examples of how to attract customers to your showroom and encourage them to drive away by car, but the environmental-thinking is often not very prominent. It is time to change that! Anyone who seriously wants to sell green cars as part of their core business should also review the offers with which customers are attracted to the showroom. On our black list of offers that is recommended be removed are: Anything that encourages more car use. Anyone who receives a 500 petrolvoucher implies that the first five thousand kilometers as 'free' and this mileage will be clocked up very quickly. Who would leave the car at home on short trips to the shop when the fuel is free? Who cares about driving economically when the next tank is free? Anything that stimulates increased flying. Air travels are among the most common offers for those who purchase a more expensive car. Fuel consumption per person in the plane almost corresponds to a fuel-efficient small car, but emissions at high altitude are three times more severe than the climate impact of troposphere emissions. In other words, to encourage increasing flights is particularly environmentally negative. 40

41 All dangerous traffic products. Even today we see less scrupulous traders who offer lower-quality winter tyres in the retail shop. It can lead to serious accidents - cheap tires can be so dangerous that they should be banned. For our top list of offers worth implementing by all are: Anything that contributes to a reduction in unnecessary car use. If you receive a GPS, you can find the right destination faster. Such offers are good offers. Anything that contributes to safer driving. In the price for really exclusive cars, sometimes training is included on how to drive the car, usually on a race track or driving school. Anything that contributes to more economical driving. Offers of easy-rolling tires, econometer (a function showing when you driving economically) and other equipment that reduces the car's fuel consumption are of course positive. 41

42 Climate compensation The switch to a green car reduces the carbon footprint by about half compared with conventional petrol or diesel engine. But all cars have climate-affecting emissions. In addition to minimizing emissions we should try and do more for example, purchasing climate compensation, through participation in emission reduction projects that meet Kyoto Protocol requirements. Avis, Europcar and Hertz offer customers compensation for their use of electric rental cars, while Statoil compensate for some of their rental cars and their own staff travels. We are not aware of any car dealers that are compensating either their own activities or offer their customers advice when buying a new car. Hence, there is an opportunity to continue at a relatively low cost show on climate responsibilities to its customers. Car dealers should compensate for their own emissions, and consider selling carbon compensation as an accessory, or better still incorporate such compensation by three years of emissions of green cars it sells. However we advise not to compensate emissions from the most fuel guzzling SUVs, because it can easily be perceived as expressing a "buy its way out" from the vehicle's large impact on the climate. Membership For a time, all who bought a Saab BioPower got free membership in BAFF, an association for ethanol interests. Consider similar membership that may be of particular interest for those who get a green car from you, both for profit and a way where the customers can get help with specific questions you have as a green car driver. It is particularly relevant for the types of cars where the customer can feel a bit left out, such as with electric cars. Economical incentives and benefits for green car owners Anyone who buys a green car should receive green car related discounts e.g. A&B rates cars get a free service while others do not. Often this is organized by the national general agent, but the local car dealer stimulates the formation of new contracts locally. In addition, similar agreements can be reached locally, for example, with the taxi company with the highest share of green cars locally. It would be impressive if you offered a bus pass in addition to the car, to encourage reduced unnecessary car use. Creating bigger value sell more than the car! When Volvo launched its FlexiFuel cars, an environmental package was included that gave a lot of positive attention and helped the client feels like they have made a good environmental choice: The greenhouse emissions that remain after the change of the fuel were compensated with shares in wind power. The buyer was trained in environmental and safety driving. The buyer got cheaper rental of green cars from Hertz. 42

43 Some benefits were also for those that bought a used green car from Volvo, and some of the benefits are maintained even after the introduction phase. Used cars The car dealer s showrooms for used cars should have an environmental benefit in itself. Anyone thinking of buying a used car will have a wide range of possible vehicles in one location, instead of going around and looking at advertised vehicles at the home of many private sellers. This reduces the travel and emissions. Few car dealers are doing anything to reduce the environmental impact of second-hand trade. It is a shame for both the environment and because it means that the car dealers are missing an opportunity to profile a second-hand trade that is perceived as fairly indifferent and undistinguished. Why should the customers choose your showroom if they want to buy a used car? Most indifferent are the dealers who sell used cars, and they need to brand themselves to stand out against the online sales sites. A clear environmental profile can be an important weapon for the survival of the used-car showroom. Consider an "Evergreen-labeling" or warranty. Finding a used green car in a large showroom is not easy, as most green cars look the same as their conventional counterparts. Just as the Co-op has signs on the shelves to make it easier to find organic products, you can help customers to find green cars by having a special "eco-corner" or at least clearly mark all your green cars. Online shopping This guide is mainly about car dealers who have a showroom where the car is displayed and sold, but an increasing number of cars are sold online and have the web portal as a virtual showroom. Again, we have not seen a lot of exciting environmental initiatives. It is more common to see insurance or financing information on the site. An opportunity exists to use the Internet's unique ability to combine the car deal with a possibility for the customer who with a few simple clicks can do so much else related to the car. This should also let internet based car dealers take advantage of and in connection to the purchase of a car also offer online climate compensation, membership of a green Automobile Manufacturers Association, link to independent environmental information about the car you are considering, and more. Service Car servicing also generates environmental impacts, emissions to air, water and soil. This is also an important part of most car dealer s total income, and an inviting, environmentally friendly service is important for several reasons. European Motor and some other car dealers have ISO certified facilities, which are of great importance especially in the engineering side (the repair shop) since a systematic review of continuous improvement may be a great impact here. 43

44 Materials Materials used for repairs and services are often determined in the repair shop (workshop). The car dealer could suggest systematically to the customers, for example, the least environmentally damaging oil, and the positive overall environmental impact will be generate. Customers are generally happy, if the mechanic calls up and asks if it is okay to take such an equivalent cooler from the junk yard rather than a new one. The customer will save some money, while the environment is saved when the amount of new parts is reduced. Sorting (Recycling) Servicing and repair involves large amounts of discarded material. It should be sorted in a number of categories and contracts concluded with a contractor to ensure good treatment of, inter alia, oil and grease, metals and hazardous waste. Recycling is preferred when is possible, before it goes to incineration or landfill. Collection Oil changes and similar changes should be done in a way so that spills will not occur. Some workshops have developed special plugs and other solutions to ensure minimal waste, with a clean shop floor as an extra value. Replacement vehicle It is increasingly common to offer a replacement vehicle while your car is at the repair shop for service, and it should of course be a green car. If your customer already has a green car, and has chosen that to signal responsibility, he or she is probably not so happy with a conventional car, while their normal car is at the workshop. A customer who does not yet have a green car, substitute a conventional car for a green car will present an opportunity to get acquainted with the technology. In many places it is possible to go one step further, and offer a bicycle or tickets for public transport during the short time the customer has his car serviced. Environmental work in a holistic perspective This handbook aims to work as inspiration to the car dealers and car sales men that can focus on the environment and at the same time make more money. We have now touched on examples of different ways of working with environmental issues for car dealerships. Cars and fuel remain exposed to significant environmental impact, while the car is and remains an essential - and desirable - part of our everyday lives. We must therefore work with measures in all of the following three areas: Large-scale fuel switching. We have to systematically switch from fossil to renewable fuels. Energy efficiency. Whatever kind of fuels we use, the cars must become much more energy efficient. 44

45 Dispose of trips. We must be much better to give up the car when not needed (especially for shorter trips), for the benefit of public transportation, telecommuting and video conferencing. Working more strategically with green cars is becoming more important for car dealers. An active environmental program is an important part to show responsibility. To invest in environmental conditions also gives you opportunities to generate business, increase market share, increase sales and better margins. With an increasing environmental public opinion it may eventually even become a pure matter of survival? It is hence natural and obvious to the dealer to work on reducing their environmental impact, hand in hand with better business. To summarize this manual, we see that a car dealer's environmental program is divided into four categories. All categories can be addressed independently as well as addressing them collectively. By seeing them as different categories the dealer can take a step by step approach into environmental work with a holistic perspective. Increased sales of green cars Increased sales of cars with lower carbon dioxide emissions Environmental control of the entire business Better use of the car 45

46 Increased sale of green cars To invest in green cars is becoming more and more important for dealers to maintain and increase market share. Today, there are strong economic incentives for customers to choose green cars. There are still different definitions of what a green car is, which makes it particularly important for dealers to be informed about the benefits that apply to their own green cars. More recently, green cars (Groups A-D) accounted for about 38 percent of new sales in 2010, increasing from nearly a 28 percent share in How to start the work in this area? Calculate the numbers of your new cars sold that are green cars. Set annual objectives for a greater proportion of green cars. Follow up with statistics for each month or at least as often as statistics for the regular sale is reported. To achieve the goal, it is appropriate that all sales men have adequate knowledge of the various definitions and clear incentives to support the increase of green car sales. This handbook should also help to reach out to all sellers. Increased sales of cars with lower carbon emissions New cars registered in Europe will on average emit a maximum of 130 g CO2 / km by This corresponds to about 5.5 litres of petrol and 5.0 litres of diesel oil per 100 km. It is worth knowing that the producers and brands with heavier cars may emit more than 130g CO2 / km on average, while those with lighter vehicles are allowed to emit less than 130 grams in average. "Only" to work with increased sales of green cars will probably not be enough, even if the sales percentage of green cars is increasing rapidly. This applies particularly to the EU who is not distinguishing a clear difference between the emissions of fossil and renewable carbon dioxide. By investing in clean vehicles, combined with the aim that all sold cars will have lower emissions of fossil carbon dioxide, the importance of every car sold will be clearer. Customers should be actively informed to choose cars with lower consumption (e.g. midclass car instead of a big car, the most energy effective engine instead of the strongest), diesel instead of gasoline, renewable fuel instead of fossil fuels. Both provide reduced emissions and differences in statistics. How to start the work in this area? Review the previous year's sales of new cars and determine the average carbon dioxide emissions. Set a target that by 2012 the average from your sales be less than 130 g CO2 / km. Then add up with longer term targets for 2015 and Complete with targets for light duty vehicles if you sell such vehicles, and preferably also for used cars if possible. Follow up continuously and provide feedback and incentives for everyone in the organization. 46

47 Environmental control of the entire business The car dealer environmental impact is not only related to car sales. Usually there is a repair shop, buildings for offices and showroom, space for parking and more, which also generate environmental impacts in terms of use and handling of for example energy, water, chemicals and waste. Environmental control of the entire business is maintained preferably by some form of environmental management system, EMS. The most common are the ISO 14001, EMAS, environmental diploma or it is always possible to build up your own systems. Fundamental objectives of all environmental work, regardless of system, should be to follow and exceed relevant legislation, and to seek a continuous reduction in the environmental impact. How to start the work in this area? If work with environmental control of the entire business has started, it is recommended to make an environmental inventory so that the current situation is determined. Goals are set in line with results from the current situation analysis. Examples of environmental targets at a car dealership can be: 1) Reduced chemical use 2) Increased proportion of eco-labeled chemicals 3) Environmental trained staff 4) Reducing energy use and use green power 5) Waste reduction and source separation Better use of the cars Car dealers may also actively contribute to helping its customers to a better use of the cars with lower environmental impact as a result. The area has great potential to deliver additional sales for dealers, such as providing customers with environmentally sound accessories and services related to the purchase situation of the car both new and used cars, but also in the servicing and workshop visits. This applies to low rolling tyres with low fuel consumption, green washing cards in an environmentally approved car was, GPS / navigation system, bike carriers, training in eco-driving and climate compensation. How to start the work in this area? The easiest way to start the work in this area is to find out what different environmental saving accessories are available for your cars and general equipment that all car dealers can offer. Find out how much the sales of these products and services (sales and margin) were last year. Set concrete goals for growth and continuously follow up to see how it progresses. 47

48 Frequently asked questions Green cars engage people and the debate about what is right and wrong has been hot at times, such as about ethanol as a fuel or what benefit the electric car is actually doing. It has also sometimes been a confusing discussion about the green car definition and green car incentives, which of course are changed over time. So make sure that the sales men systematically get updated new green-car information at least annually! Below we list some of the frequently asked questions, broken down by topics. The debate quickly changes the focus, so keep yourself updated by regularly reading for example: General questions about green-cars What is a green car? The definition of a green car changes from country to country but in general the following can be defined as green cars: cars that can run on biogas or ethanol/e85 (which are not fuel-guzzling), ultra-efficient petrol and diesel models (in the UK this applies to the A & B bands) with low particulate emissions and electric cars. Why is there not just a green car definition? It would be best understood with a uniform definition but at present there is no one definition. As the technology and car industry reacts to the environmental drivers it is likely that a standard definition or benchmark will emerge soon. Why should I run a green car? The main reason for running a green car and with biofuels is to reduce your car's emissions of fossil carbon dioxide and therefore our impact on the climate. Transport accounts for 32% of CO 2 emissions in the UK at present and a greater shift to cleaner vehicles will reduce this impact. Has the catalytic converter not already solved all environmental problems? The catalytic converter cleans away much of the car s hazardous emissions, but the carbon dioxide that is affecting the climate cannot be cleaned away. When I bought my car it was a green car, but now it is no longer. Why? Environment is a strong selling point, as is sometimes carelessly used by dealers. In the late eighties all the cars with catalytic converters were called green cars, in the late nineties, you could hear the cars that fulfilled Euro IV were environmentally friendly cars, and today sometimes all diesel cars with particle filters are called green cars. No national definition has ever generally accepted all these vehicles as green cars. In addition, the rules are over time tightened for what a green car really is. The increasing requirements are important to develop the car market and decrease its environmental damage over time. 48

49 Isn t it better for the environment that I keep my car as long as possible? Up to 85 percent of the car's climate impact occurs when we use it, the other 15 percent is allocated between material use, production and recycling. In order to reduce motoring carbon footprint the most important part is to drive cars that emit as low fossil carbon dioxide as possible, and only the very few who drive very short mileage per year for environmental reasons can justify retaining their old car. New car life cycle CO 2 Emissions I drive my petrol car on ethanol. Why isn t it a green car? It is now possible to convert petrol cars so that it can run on ethanol, and the cars that are converted according to the regulations count as green cars. If you drive a petrol car with ethanol without changing components in the engine this could lead to increasing hazardous emissions, and therefore it is not reasonable to classify these cars as green cars. And if the engine fails, the warranties are not working. How safe are green cars? No one needs to compromise with the safety to do a good thing for the environment. All cars have to complete safety tests under the Euro NCAP crash tests, and we recommend car dealers and purchasers included NCAP ratings as part of their purchase decision. The fuel itself does not affect safety - both gas and ethanol are as safe as or safer than petrol. Isn t it complicated to have a green car? The green car is run, fueled and maintained as any car. Some electric and ethanol cars have shorter service intervals than the equivalent petrol model, while the green car classified diesel cars generally have very long service intervals. To have a green car is easier than to have other cars, because the first five years do not have to worry about vehicle tax. In some thirty towns, the green car is parking for free, which reduces the hassle compared to other types of cars. Many think that the electric car is complicated, but inserting the plug into the socket is simpler and cleaner than to fill up the car at the gas station. In addition, there are many thousands of times more electrical outlets than fuel stations. 49

50 Is it not expensive to have a green car? Green cars in the UK now have lower annual motor tax rates than other cars. This combined with lower running costs per year reduce your overall motoring costs. In addition, if you are considering an electric vehicle there are grants available battery or hybrid electric vehicles. Electric vehicles have significantly lower running costs. How is the resale value for environmentally friendly cars? In general, there are limited statistics available on re-sale value for green cars. However, information from Sweden shows that the re-sale value of efficient diesel cars and the popular hybrid cars have very good resale value. Older electric cars are often sold cheaply because they have lead acid batteries with low capacity. For new electric cars, we expect on the contrary, that it initially will be speculation, so that anyone who signed up early on the waiting lists can run the car a few months and then sell it with a good profit. This was also the example when the Toyota Prius was introduced - a phenomenon that is only happening with Ferrari, Lamborghini and other collector cars. I cannot afford to get a new green car what should I do? There are a lot of used green cars available. If buying a used car make sure to check out the fuel consumption as part of your purchasing criteria. You can check out the environmental performance of most cars at the multiple websites: For example: Department of Transport - or You can also join a car pool, where you get access to cars without owning a car check out or How do I minimize my environmental impact as motorist? Guiding principles for those who want to become a greener motorist is, in addition to the choice of the car, eco-driving, using the engine block heater most of the year, ensuring that the car's tyres have correct pressure and switching to low rolling resistance tires, taking off the roof racks and roof boxes when not using them. Consider purchasing climate credits for those emissions that still remain and then review how you use the car. Some car trips can be changed to more environmentally friendly transport alternatives! Questions about fuels What is a renewable fuel? A renewable fuel is made from biological materials such as agricultural crops or forest. The raw materials are not produced, unlike petrol and diesel comes from a finite resource - fossil oil. 50

51 Why are there only biogas and ethanol available on the market of biofuels? In addition to biogas, and ethanol there are some cars which can run on rapeseed-based RME, which can replace diesel. This fuel works well in heavy vehicles, but according to the manufacturers, operates poorly with modern particulate filters in passenger cars. Synthetic diesel made from biomass will appear in the near future and can be used in existing diesel vehicles. Several other fuels may be in the process, including methanol and hydrogen, but both biogas and ethanol is certainly good enough to not passively wait for something better. The electricity for electric cars is also essentially renewable. Is it not better to use low blended ethanol in all petrol than with few cars on pure ethanol? There is no reason to make a competition between low blended biofuels and biofuels in concentrated form. Both are needed! Almost all petrol sold in Ireland now has four percent ethanol and all diesel, four percent biodiesel (rapeseed-based RME). It is possible to have a mix of pure ethanol or biodiesel cars and those who operate on fuel which has a mix of biofuels. Can all petrol cars run on petrol with low blended ethanol? Some 95-octane petrol fuel sold in the UK contains up to five percent ethanol. The target is to increase this to 10% by Ethanol has excellent combustion properties and is therefore suitable as a component of petrol. Almost all petrol cars can run on the new higher ethanol blend at this level without any adaptation of the engines and no additives being necesarry. How much energy is embodied in diesel and ethanol? The oil for petrol and diesel must be located, drilled, pumped up and refined, while ethanol is based on plants that only need to be planted, harvested and converted into alcohol. There are thus good possibilities to make energy-efficient ethanol. Hoever, there is ethanol that can be considered energy intensive. This applies to ethanol from corn, produced in coal-powered plants. Is the transport of ethanol from Brazil not very fuel consuming? Ship transport of ethanol from Latin America to Europe represents a very small part of the environmental impact for the total fuel life cycle, because it carries such large quantities at a time. In fact, ethanol produced from sugar cane in Brazil shows a very low carbon footprint, despite the long journeys. Is ethanol production not a threat against the Amazon rainforest? Sugarcane for ethanol comes primarily from southeastern Brazil, kilometers from the Amazon rainforest in north-west of the country. In addition, Brazilian law does not allow sugar cane cultivation in the rainforest. However, there is clear evidence that the 51

52 soybean crop entering the rainforest is at risk. To reduce the risk, it is useful to review your meat consumption, since much of the soya is grown for beef cattle. Are there not disastrous working conditions for ethanol production? The working conditions at a sugar cane plantation are in some cases poor. This applies also to other agricultural products from the developing world - and particularly in oil fields in for example Nigeria. But in the ethanol side something is being done about the problems. The EU has now set specific criteria to determine the sustainability of biofuels and suppliers are required to demonstrate how these are being achieved. Green Motorists annually review the petrol companies' sustainability efforts. They indicate that ethanol is mainly produced in decent working conditions and with traceability for those who want to know where the fuel is from, while the oil companies can not specify where the oil for petrol and diesel, or how it is found or produced. However, we know that an increasing share of the oil comes from Middle Eastern dictatorships, which normally is worse and more difficult for consumers to influence. The latter is no excuse. We must make demands of a socially and environmentally sustainable production, and it should apply to all fuels. Can I self blend an increased share of ethanol in my petrol car? In some countries, nearly 20 percent ethanol in the petrol is allowed, but in EU only up to ten percent ethanol in the petrol is allowed, this is the level that almost all vehicles would be capable of running on. We do not recommend increased self blended ethanol mixture in petrol cars, and if one does, you risk the engine guarantee no longer applying. Shouldn t agricultural land be used to grow food ahead of fuel? Large parts of the world's sugar cane fields are currently not in use. Enormous areas of potential agricultural land is under-used in southern Brazil, in central and southern Africa, and the sugar-country Cuba is hardly in the world market. So there is huge potential to increase ethanol production without threatening food security. The development of new processes where ethanol can be produced from wood (cellulose) will further address this issue. Do biogas plants and gas cars leak methane? Biogas plants are properly maintained to keep the leakage of methane gas to a minimum. The emissions are far below what would be required to reach the petrol car's high carbon footprint. Some poorly maintained gas buses have had problems with methane leakage, but the problem is rare in passenger cars. How many filling stations are available with biofuels? There are several hundred locations around the UK where you can get Bio-Diesel. 52

53 How do I find the filling stations? shows where there are filling stations in the UK that sell biofuel. shows where there are filling stations in the UK that sell Autogas, Biodiesel and electric car charging points. The site gives a good guide to several other countries and locations of filling stations with biofuel. What happens if I do not find a filling station with biogas or E85? Cars that run on gas or ethanol can also be powered by petrol. Gas cars have a separate tank for petrol, while ethanol vehicles can be fueled with E85 and petrol in the same tank, in what proportions any time. What about filling stations abroad? In Germany there are over 1,000 filling stations for natural gas. Also in France, Italy and Switzerland, there are quite a number of gas filling stations. It is relatively easy to fill up with E85 ethanol in Hungary and France, which have about 400 stations each. E85 can also be refueled in Norway, the Baltic countries, Spain and Ireland. The person who will go for vacation abroad with an ethanol car may either plan the trip well or at least partially run on petrol. Questions about electric cars When will the electric cars be available? There are already a number of electric cars on the market, and more are coming. By 2012 you can buy electric cars from manufacturers such as Citroen, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Renault, Nissan, Ford, Saab and Volvo. How long is the range? The range is limited due to battery size if you fill the car with a lot of batteries you will get a very long range, but the price is high, space is limited and the car will be very heavy. Most manufacturers therefore offer electric cars with ranges of about kilometers. This could be considered enough for more than 90 percent of all needs. The average daily driving range of a person in the UK is between 40km and 50km. How long does it take to recharge the electric car? Most electric cars charged from empty to full capacity, in a normal socket in 6-8 hours. This means that the car is fully charged during the working day or over the night. Modern electric cars can be charged in small portions; one hour charge provides about 20 kilometers of extra range. Many electric cars can also be quickly charged through the more powerful charging stations, but they are so far rare. More details of the charging stations around the UK are available at & 53

54 Who wants an electric car? In opinion studies, the majority of motorists, are willing to have electric cars or plug-in hybrids, but are not willing to accept a particularly high additional cost or a major limitation on the freedom the car gives. Since most people have an average range of less than 50 kilometers a day, the electric car is already up to most motorists' needs. Are electric cars not too expensive? The electric car costs more to buy than a conventional petrol car, if the batteries are included. If the batteries are leased separately, the price will be more or less equal, especially with the introduction of different benefits that exist now e.g. grants towards electric vehicles. The electric car has much lower operating costs and can have higher resale value. What is the lifetime of the batteries? The weak issue for electric cars has been the batteries, which are expensive, heavy and have a limited lifetime. The batteries have progressively been better, and gone from lead through nickel, cadmium to lithium, which dominates the electric cars coming on the market in 2011 and beyond. Lithium batteries have "no memory" which means they are not negatively affected by charging in small portions, however, they are sensitive to high and low temperatures. In normal driving, the lithium batteries are expected to last up to ten years, while basic lead-acid batteries last for a few thousand charges. Most car manufacturers guarantee batteries for five years, some much longer than that. Some brands lease or rent out the batteries separately from the purchase of the car to reduce the customer's concern over the battery life. Is the electric car charged with coal-power? There has been a confused discussion about what power the electric car is running on, which determines the emissions it can assume to have. Many believe that emissions should be calculated on the electricity mix that exists in the actual network. Electric car main ambassadors indicates that the electric car can assume to be driven with the windpower as the electricity need of a large-scale introduction of electric cars is about equal to the planned expansion of wind power. A definite mechanism to ensure that they are run on green power is to say that electric cars can be considered running on renewable power if it is guaranteed by such an electricity contract e.g. the company providing the electricity has a green tariff. What is a plug-in-hybrid? A plug-in hybrid combines the benefits of the electric car and the internal combustion engine. It has a much smaller battery pack than electric cars, which reduces cost and makes the car's interior space less restricted, but still gives a maximum range of kilometers on battery power. Thereafter, the combustion engine can drive the car directly or recharge the batteries as a range-extender. Normal daily mileage can thus be run solely on electricity and the plug-in hybrid does not have the range limitation of a 100% electric 54

55 car. The plug-in hybrids disadvantage is that it has two systems for propulsion, which makes it heavy, technically complicated and expensive. Questions about fuel-efficient petrol and diesel cars The EU Driving Cycle The EU Driving Cycle simulates a run of three phases: two kilometres of city driving with a cold engine; two kilometres of city driving with a hot engine and seven kilometres on motor way. The point of the cycle is that all the cars are tested in the same way resulting in comparable values. Unfortunately the results do not reflect particularly well for most national conditions. Increased fuel consumption from the use of air conditioning, electrically heated seats, electric windows and more are also not taken into account. The air conditioner alone, for example, can increase fuel consumption by about 10 percent and even more in certain situations. Another problem is that petrol cars with a direct injection engine, get good results in the cycle but can, depending on the driver's driving style, be much more fuel consuming under real driving conditions. The EU has identified a specific cycle for electric cars and plug-in-hybrids, but unfortunately, many producers instead indicate an electric car range using its own calculations. Are the quoted figures for fuel consumption not valid? Almost all cars use more fuel than the figures according to the EU test cycle, although, this is generally not true for green cars. Which is better a fuel efficient diesel or an ethanol car? Regardless of fuel you should choose as fuel efficient a car as possible. Combine that with the switch to biofuels or electricity, and you have made a great contribution. Studies have shown that someone running a car on ethanol can almost halve their carbon footprint compared with the one running on diesel. Ethanol cars also typically lower the emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulates. An ethanol car is in this perspective, a better choice, except of course if you compare a super-efficient small diesel with a sport utility vehicle powered by ethanol! What is Euro 5? The Euro-classification is determined by the EU and applies to all passenger cars. From 1 January 2011, Euro 5 is mandatory. It replaces the EURO 4. Euro-classification regulates emissions of health-hazardous substances - carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM). Carbon dioxide emissions are not included as a basis for the Euro-classification. Some manufacturers have found it difficult to combine green car class certification criteria for low carbon dioxide and low consumption with the Euro-class constraints of the low emissions of such nitrogen oxides. 55

56 Is the fuel consumption of new cars reduced? The fuel consumption of new cars sold in the UK has fallen in the last 10 years by around 30%. A step change is evident as a result of the new motor tax classification and increasing fuel prices at the pump. Good examples In this section some good examples of projects and tools will be presented, that you as car dealer can be inspired of in your ambitions to sell more energy-and climate-efficient cars and promote a better environment. Clean Drive - an EU project in which environmentally interested dealers in Europe show the way Green car book with tips to save money, fuel and environment Eco-driving race increase the interest in green cars and the environment Annual review of municipal and county councils fleet-vehicles Green cars like green energy Clean Drive environmentally interested car dealers in Europe show the way In Europe, the objective is clear, the emissions of carbon dioxide from new cars has to be reduced. Car manufacturers are forced by EU law to reduce the emissions by 2012 otherwise hefty fines will wait. Clean Drive is a project which supports car dealerships to become part of the solution for a greener Europe, by recommending more energy-and climate-efficient vehicles to its customers. Clean Drive is a cutting-edge project for the increased introduction of more energy-and climate-efficient vehicles (green cars), which involves an important target group: car dealers, car rental and car leasing companies for achieving the overall EU objective of 130 grams of fossil CO2/km on average from new car sales to A level that, on average, is equivalent to a consumption of 5.5 litres gasoline or 5.0 litres diesel per 100 km. 65 percent of new car sales will be included 2012 and all sold cars will be included Hefty fines will wait for the car manufacturer that not will fulfill these levels. Tough challenge 2007 the average emissions from new car sales in the EU-25 were 158 grams of fossil CO2/km. To reach 130 g CO2 target requires a reduction in the order of 20 percent or a total of around 3 percent per year until 2015 compared to This coupled with better technology and renewable fuels, and behavioral measures (eg increased awareness, better information and greater motivation), makes it fully possible to achieve the project objectives. Clean Drive that began in April 2010 and runs for three years, is coordinated by the Energy Agency for Southeast, and apart from Sweden following countries are involved: Germany, France, Ireland, Latvia, Italy, Slovenia, Greece and England. 56

57 Ambassadors show the way A national reference group is also formed in each participating country. The UK advisory group is made up with expert representatives from the country s leading automotive academic institutions; forums; federations including: Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership Ecolane Transport Consultancy NextGreenCar.com Oxford Brookes University University of Exeter Open University The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited Energy Saving Trust Welsh Assembly Government University of Aberdeen Retail Motor Industry Federation Welsh Automotive Forum Institute of Motor Industry Sustainable Transport Solutions The project wants to show that dedicated car dealers at least reach down to the EU's target for new car sales in 2012, with maximum 130 grams CO2/km in average and will double its sales of cars emitting less than 120 g km CO2 by 2012 (16 percent of total sales in the EU is the benchmark). Clean Drive is about showing that environmentally interested car dealers show the way for a greener Europe. The Action Model in Clean Drive Clean Drive is based on an Action Model, tested in a Swedish pilot; "Carbon Efficient Car Dealers in Kalmar County" with good results. It is structured as a management system and aims to support the car dealers to increase their sales of clean vehicles. Step 1: Where are you now? - Analysis of the current situation from sold cars, share of green cars etc. Step 2: Workshop - Planning and training to meet future markets, customer demand, increased promotion of clean vehicles etc. Step 3: Marketing Use promotional tools (brochures, events etc.) to attract new customers. Networking - sharing of experience with other progressive companies and actors. Step 4: Monitoring and evaluation - Follow up activities continuously. Assess what changes that can be achieved after the campaign? Car dealers participating in the Local Action Group in the UK are represented by the following car maunfacturers: BMW, Mini, Peugeot, Citroen, Suzuki, Vauxhall, and Ford There is also representation form a local insulation specialist company who operated a fleet of over 240 vehicles. 57

58 Eco-driving race increase interest in green cars and the environment Looking for a simple and fun activity to raise awareness of environmentally friendly cars and a more efficient use of our cars? Do you want to engage the media? Then an Efficient Car Rally is a good alternative. In 2008, the Mayor of Tingsryd, invited potential stakeholders; car dealers, the center of commerce in Tingsryd, The Horse Track and several other organizations to plan and implement various activities during a theme week on sustainable transport in September; the European Mobility Week. Sven-Olof Carlsson is an environmentally engaged car dealer and sells Saab, Opel and Chevrolet cars through the family company, Autocenter in Tingsryd and Karlshamn. - For us it is important to be involved when local activities are planned, especially when they involve environmental issues. Sustainable Horse Power in Tingsryd was the working title and the aim of the week was to raise awareness of environmental issues among the residents of the municipality where the majority are car owners. Efficient Car Rally engages Autocenter Tingsryd wondered what activities they could plan during the week to attract potential customers to their showrooms. Then Sven-Olof had the idea of the Efficient Car Rally. - The idea with Efficient Car Rally is simple. It is a way to combine a test run of green cars and drive very fuel efficiently over a specific distance. It has the potential to open up an exciting dialogue between seller and customer, where we as a car dealer can also show that we have knowledge in the environmental area that can lead to better use, and lower consumption, of the cars we sell. The purpose of the Efficient Rally is to increase awareness and interest and to encourage people to drive economically in a stimulating way. - By offering all participants a gift, everyone feels like a winner. With prizes for the best drivers, you will also attract the more competitive among us. Environmental efficiency must be fun and not perceived as a sacrifice, otherwise there will be few participants and they are normally those already interested in the environment, says Sven-Olof. Planning an important part Two Saab 9-3 BioPower green cars became the test cars. A course of about 20 km was determined which included highway, driving in the community and on smaller roads. 58

59 Since new cars are equipped with a trip computer, it is easy to measure fuel consumption, you just to need to clear it before the start and check it at the finish. Advertisements were inserted in the local press with an offer to visit the showroom and test - Efficient Car Rally. The question was; how many people would come? - We were positively surprised by the great interest shown. About 50 people came to us and tested during the week, which is very good for an activity that was run for the first time. Several participants had more than one go, when they felt that they had bad luck with the traffic and therefore had unnecessarily high fuel consumption, says Sven-Olof. What was the best performance during the week? - The Saab 9-3 Biopower has a fuel consumption of about 1.1 litre E85 per 10 km, according to the figures from the manufacturer and it is a good achievement to get down to that figure on Swedish roads. The best result in Tingsryd was an impressive 0.80 litre per 10 km, which proves that it is possible to save fuel, money and the environment through driving efficiently. How would you summarize the activity - Efficient Car Rally? - Many participants, low consumption and a lot of interest from the media, made the Efficient Car Rally a success. Of particular interest is the fact that many local energy and climate advisors from all over Sweden have been in touch and used the concept of Efficient Car Rally to raise interest in more economical driving. This makes you feel proud and like an inventor, so now perhaps car dealers can also be nominated for the Nobel Prize for Environment, says Sven-Olof Carlsson jokingly, as a final conclusion. 59

60 Annual review of municipal and county councils fleet-vehicles Do you know how good municipalities and the county councils are at buying green cars? In 2009, Miljöfordon Syd evaluated all 290 municipal car fleets in Sweden from an environmental and safety perspective with a view to giving municipalities a tool to improve their environmental performance. The audit was conducted in collaboration with InfoTorg and supported by the Transport Administration. The annual follow-up in 2010 shows that the municipalities are buying more environmentally friendly cars and vehicles with lower fuel consumption and carbon footprint. Swedish municipalities are important front runners when it comes to working actively to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from passenger cars. Their purchases of cars also contribute to more green cars becoming available on the used market. The same applies even when the municipalities are buying vehicles with high traffic safety. Although municipalities have no legal requirement that push them to buy environmentally friendly and safer vehicles, their choices are important as they affect businesses and individuals follow suit. The project "Audit of 290 municipalities cars from an environmental and safety perspective," evaluated all municipal car fleets in 2009, to give everyone an overview and a starting point to work from. The audit was conducted in collaboration with InfoTorg and supported by the Transport Administration. During the follow-up audit in 2010, 149 municipalities showed interest in seeing their development compared with Some municipalities already have a green and safe fleet, which is confirmed by the results of the audit. For municipalities that have just started their work in this area, the review gives a good overview that makes it easier to set concrete improvement targets that can be followed up annually. Miljöfordon Syd has together with InfoTorg and supported by the Transport Administration, developed a method that provides data on; number of cars, number and proportion of green cars, the cars' energy efficiency (CO2 energy), the cars' carbon footprint (CO2-climate), the cars age, the proportion of cars that can only be powered by fossil fuels, noise, traffic safety and more. Audited municipalities receive a compiled list of their results. More are reviewed On behalf of the Transport Administration and the branch organisation Swedish municipalities and county councils all county councils in Sweden were reviewed during Interest has also been shown from regional associations, organizations and businesses wanting to both review their vehicles, and compare themselves with the best municipalities in the country. 60

61 Continuous development The method has been developed to help and encourage more municipalities to purchase cars with better environmental and safety performance. In 2010, a number of improvements were made and in 2011, the audit also will include information on light commercial vehicles, heavy vehicles, buses and other road vehicles. Another suggestion is to report progress on a website, for example This gives municipalities the opportunity for continuous control of their vehicle stocks where more people can get access to an overview of municipal vehicles. This will make it easier for politicians, vehicle managers, purchasers, and administrative managers to monitor and influence the development. In the box below, overall results of the audit in 2010 compared to 2009 are presented. All lists and results are presented on In municipalities were participating in the audit. The audit refers to passenger cars. Below we present overall results for the development of these municipalities compared to 2009: The proportion of clean vehicles increased from 44.1% to 51.6%. Energy efficiency increased by 3.1%, corresponding to a reduction in average consumption from 7.3 to 7.0 litres of petrol per 100 km on average. CO2 emissions decreased by 4.7%, corresponding to an average reduction of about seven grams CO2/km per car. The proportion of cars with five stars in EURO-NCAP is an average of 44.8%, 28.1% have four stars, while information is not available for 24.0%. The proportion of cars with the highest ratings is increasing, but as the EURO-NCAP test has been changed there are no precise comparative figures for

62 Read more There is always more to find out about green vehicles. We recommend the following sources: Next Green Car website with information on new and current green car issues. Direct Gov - Green Awards from What Car ( Car Sharing or Department of Transport Plugged in Places programme, match funding to install electric vehicle infrastructure. Thanks This handbook for the motor trade had never happened without the extensive support and encouragement from the Transport Administration (none mentioned, none forgotten), ideas, praise and criticism from Anders Forsare, Jacob Lagercrantz, Tove Zetterström, Martin Prieto Beaulieu and Hannele Johansson. All meetings with car dealers around the country, both individually and organised by the national Car dealer Association (MRF) have also played a very important role. 62

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