FUTURE CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS
The government’s autumn budget confirmed the earlier proposals for green car definition in 2013 is now a reality. The most important news is that the emission limits are tightened, while also taking into account the vehicle’s weight. This means that the requirements are tightened on small cars but also some larger, not currently approved green cars, can qualify as a green car.
The new rich limit is 95 g CO2 / km for fossils cars and 150 g / km for vehicles that run on for example ethanol, but practically clean car limit lower for vehicles lighter than 1372 kg and higher for cars that are heavier according to a formula.
Cars that meet the new limits are exempt from vehicle tax for five years. Right now there are about 120 model variants of passenger cars and 13 light trucks that meet the new rules.
The government does not change the benefit taxation of green cars despite criticism of short-termism from many directions. The rule for a special tax credit of 40 percent for gas and electric cars and plug-in hybrids only applies until the end of 2013. However, any alternative fuel cars will continue to permanent impairment of the benefit to the nearest comparable car.