Peugeot Tops European Sales of Low CO2 Vehicles in 2008
28 March 2009
Peugeot led the European market in 2008 in the sectors for sub-121 g/km and 131 g/km vehicles, with sales of 315,805 (15.5%) and 441,385 (13.7%) units respectively—more than any other marque in the lowest CO2 categories.
The Peugeot 107 was the best-selling, low CO2 car in the sub 111 g/km category, while the Peugeot 207 was the best-selling, low CO2 car in both the sub 121 g/km and 131 g/km sectors.
| 2008 European Sales | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <121 gCO2/km | <131 gCO2/m | ||||||
| Rank | Marque | Volume | % | Rank | Marque | Volume | % |
| 1 | Peugeot | 318,805 | 15.5 | 1 | Peugeot | 441,385 | 13.7 |
| 2 | Renault | 275,921 | 13.5 | 2 | Fiat | 395,059 | 12.2 |
| 3 | Fiat | 274,068 | 13.4 | 3 | Renault | 386,210 | 11.9 |
| 4 | Citroën | 233,579 | 11.4 | 4 | Citroën | 303,536 | 9.4 |
| 5 | Ford | 187,078 | 9.2 | 5 | Fiat | 275,797 | 8.5 |
Peugeot has some 36 vehicles across its 107, 207 and 308 ranges with CO2 emissions less than 121 g/km, and 48 (within its Blue Lion standards) with CO2 emissions less than 131 g/km.
The source of the sales data is the AAA (Association Auxilaire de l’Automobile), the official supplier of automotive information to the European Commission.
For reference, the 107 is a very small gasoline driven car, the 207 is a "supermini" with a 1.4 diesel (as part of the range).
The 107 is really only a town car (in terms of size), but is fully specified and gives 107 gms/km. Obviously, being gasoline driven, it has proper range (and low pollution). It costs about 40% the cost of a Prius (in the UK).
This shows one approach to low CO2, a very small, modern car (same as the Toyota Aygo and the Citroen C1).
The 207 shows another; diesel, which allows a larger vehicle, but more "conventional" pollution.
These are the two principal approaches (to low CO2) taken in Europe.
The third is hybridization, popular in the US, and Japan*.
As an aside, it would be interesting to compare the 107 to the Tata Nano ( in terms of price, performance, driving, etc - everything ) to see if they can sell the Nano in the west.
To continue ...
However, if you look at the numbers of cars sold (and the percentages), you can see that the European approach is actually working (compared to the US).
This may also have to do with the cost of fuel (due mainly to taxation), and the EU's 130 gms/km target.
[ Once you make fuel expensive, people care about fuel consumption in a concrete manner, as opposed to a more "theoretical" caring if fuel is cheap. ]
*I am not counting BEVs as there are so few sold, and the range is insufficient for out of town use.
Posted by: mahonj | 28 March 2009 at 07:35 AM
Mahonj wrote: "This may also have to do with the cost of fuel (due mainly to taxation), and the EU's 130 gms/km target."
I think you can safely drop the "may" from your statement. You'll know when the Obama administration is REALLY ready to get serious about GW and foreign oil dependence when they raise the gasoline tax. Does anybody know whether the President has the power to levy an excise tax on fuel without congressional approval?
Once we get out of the current phase of the financial crisis we'll enter phase II -- tax increases to pay for everything. I have to believe a fuel tax is secretly being planned. If not they're missing a huge opportunity, the same one Bush missed after 9/11.
OK, all you anti-tax posters can jump on me now.
Posted by: JamesEE | 28 March 2009 at 01:10 PM
Are you ****ing kidding? I've been solidly behind a multi-dollar gas tax as retribution against the Saudi theocracy ever since 9/11, and a bit more squishily since the early 1990's (provable if you're willing to bet a sufficient sum).
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 31 March 2009 at 10:54 PM