BERN, SWITZERLAND – Swiss drivers still love their gas-guzzling cars, to the government’s dismay.
The average consumption of new cars registered in Switzerland in 2012 was 6.21 litres per 100 kilometres, down 2.8 percent from a year earlier (6.39 litres).
New cars are becoming more fuel-efficient, but at the same time, the Swiss are buying larger, not smaller cars.
The drop in consumption would have been bigger except that the empty weight of new cars in Switzerland rose by 1.8 percent in 2012 to reach a record level of 1,510 kg. The year before the figure was 1,483 kilos.
A car’s consumption rises by about 0.4 litres of petrol per 100 kg of extra weight.
CO2 down, but must fall faster to meet European 2015 standards
The share of the new car market held by diesel cars increased in 2012 to 37.1 percent, up from 33 percent in 2011.
The average CO2 emission for new cars last year was about 151 grams per kilometre, 2.6 percent lower than in 2011 (155g/km). They were lower for cars with petrol, at 148 g/km, compared to diesel, 153 g/km.La part des véhicules diesel mis en circulation en Suisse s’est à nouveau accrue en 2012 et représente désormais 37,1% du parc automobile (2011: 33,0%).
Switzerland in July 2012 implemented new standards calling for the country to be aligned with European Union standards by 2015, at 130g/km.
The small progress made in the past 12 months means Switzerland will need to improve at a faster rate, says Bern.
Energy labels for Swiss cars can be consulted on www.etiquetteenergie.ch