Fiat, MINI and smart Beat 130 gCO2/km New Car Average in Europe for First Half of 2009

20 September 2009

The average CO₂ emissions figure on new Fiat cars sold in Europe during the first half of 2009 dropped 5.2 g/km to 129.1 g/km, according to an analysis by JATO Consult, the bespoke consulting service of JATO Dynamics. That makes Fiat the only mainstream car brand to achieve the European average goal of 130 g/km by 2015, five years early. The MINI and smart brands also came under the 130 g/km mark.

Overall, JATO found an average 6.2 g/km reduction in the CO₂ output of new cars sold by the top 25 brands in Europe in 1H 2009, with a similar reduction measured in JATO’s 21 monitored EU markets. The figures underline how incremental improvements to high-volume vehicles can have an impact that far exceeds that of low-volume hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles, JATO noted.

Fiat’s results, JATO said, “are the most impressive, considering its volumes and model mix.” Of the top 10 brands, Fiat is ahead of Toyota (132.9 g/km), Peugeot (134.5 g/km), Citroën (138.1 g/km), Renault (138.9 g/km), Ford (140.4 g/km), Opel (149.5 g/km), Volkswagen (152.5 g/km), Audi (162.6 g/km), and Mercedes (178.8 g/km).

One important contribution to Fiat’s result is the growth of natural gas as an alternative fuel for passenger cars, according to the company. During the first half of 2009 around 65,000 Fiat Natural Power cars, with an average of 115.8 g/km in CO₂ emissions, were sold in Europe, a figure more than 13 g/km less than the brand’s average.

Our aim is actually to reinforce our European record in emissions reduction by introducing new engines, new technologies and new applications. New engines are being introduced—like the innovative MultiAir technology on petrol engines, making them capable of guaranteeing up to 10 percent lower CO₂ emissions, and the new generation of Common Rail MultiJet diesel engines that will make their debut on the Punto Evo and that will be gradually adopted on all of our Group’s cars.

New technologies, like Start&Stop, introduced on the Fiat 500, is now standard on all Punto Evo Euro 5 engines. Start&Stop can cut CO₂ emissions in the urban cycle by as much as 12 percent. Other applications such as eco:Drive—our innovative software program—allows drivers to analyse personal driving styles so as to optimize consumption and emissions. Sixty thousand people have downloaded it in less than a year since its launch, and 25,000 are using it daily.

—Lorenzo Sistino, CEO of Fiat Automobiles

Other results from the analysis include:

• Alfa Romeo made the biggest overall improvement, with average new car CO₂ output falling by 19.9 g/km versus the same period in 2008.

• Among the top 25 volume brands, Chevrolet too the top spot, with the diesel Cruze model and 3-cylinder, 0.8-liter, 119g/km Matiz helped its new car sales to a 15.2 g/km average CO₂ improvement.

• Second was Audi, whose 2.0-liter TDi engine helped it to an average of 163 g/km. The marque is likely to benefit further in H2 2009 sales, JATO said, from its recently announced, 109 g/km 1.6-liter TDi A3 model and stop-start system.

• Toyota, Suzuki, Hyundai and Mazda also recorded double-digit improvements.

• Ford was best of the biggest European volume sellers, improving average CO₂ by 8.0 g/km as its ECOnetic range and in particular, new 98 g/km Fiesta ECOnetic, proved popular with customers across Europe.

Average CO2 emissions from the top 25 volume brands in Europe. Click to enlarge.