As of: April 4, 2024, 5:25 a.m
By: Cefina Gomez
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Attention car lovers: a new law will apply from May 1st. It's about the new car labeling requirement, which will change car purchases in the future.
Munich - Around a fifth of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Germany come from transport. According to the
Federal Office for the Environment
, the amount of CO₂ our cars emit is directly related to fuel consumption. Given the high cost of petrol, this means in plain language: the more the car swallows, the deeper you have to dig into your pockets for the journey. The ADAC has tried out aids that promise to use up to 15 percent less fuel, with catastrophic results.
In order to keep an eye on consumption and environmental friendliness, dealers will be obliged to provide their new cars with an EU energy label from May 1st. This should help car buyers to orientate themselves better in the future.
Not just refrigerators and washing machines: EU energy label now also for cars
From May 1, 2024, the
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection
(BMWK) will introduce a new regulation that will require dealers to provide clear information on consumption and emissions directly on the vehicle and in online configurators. Additional information at the point of sale and a digital guide are intended to help even the most inexperienced car buyers keep track.
The time of opaque car data is over, because the new labeling is based on more realistic measurements (WLTP) and evaluates vehicles based on their CO₂ emissions. “The new class classification prevents particularly large and heavy cars from being placed in a better CO₂ class due to their weight than significantly lighter vehicles with the same level of emissions,” explains the
BMWK.
The EU energy label is now also available for cars. © Imago / Steinach
In addition, consumers should get an insight into the expected CO₂ costs for the next ten years. This means that car buyers can not only make sustainable, environmentally conscious purchasing decisions, but also financially sensible ones.
Legislators reacted: The old energy label had already caused a lot of discussion before it was launched
The concept of the car energy label is actually nothing new. The CO₂ label for cars was launched in 2011. However, the measure caused criticism right from the start, with the
ADAC,
among others,
expressing concerns. The division according to weight classes in particular caused a lot of criticism, because not only the absolute consumption values were taken into account, but also the ratio to weight. This means that a huge and heavy car that consumes relatively less fuel but not twice as much fuel was classified as being similarly energy efficient as a small car.
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“But what did that mean for the customer’s orientation? He or she could only compare vehicles of similar weight, but not cars of different weights and vehicle classes,” explains the
ADAC
. Since the legislature has adapted the changes, car buyers should find it easier to find the best car for them in the future.
Consumption cost calculators and detailed information about the car label make the car search easier
The regulation also has tailor-made labels for different types of drive. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are provided with information about power consumption and range. And there are two CO₂ classes for hybrid vehicles, depending on which company you choose.
With the consumption cost calculator, consumers also have a good overview of the running costs. With this tool you can not only see the fuel consumption, but also how high the vehicle tax is. The label also provides information about the annual energy costs for a mileage of 15,000 kilometers.
The German Energy Agency has a consumption cost calculator on the website
alternativ-mobil.info
that can be used to take a closer look at energy consumption and possible CO₂ costs for different car models. While energy costs represent an ever-increasing expense, many consumers are also wondering how much electricity consumption is normal in their own four walls.
(cg)