Renault: Climate change

Two high-profile reports:

The Government's Stern Report published late last year and the more recent analysis by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - make clear that the UK and global economies have no choice but to take carbon dioxide emissions seriously.

Vehicles are the cause of 25% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the main gas that contributes to climate change and, as a result, pressure is mounting on fleet operators and every driver to be more environmentally responsible.

With all vehicle-related taxes having a major environmental focus with their link to CO2 emissions, fleets that fail to heed the 'green' message will find themselves and their employees paying a financial penalty.

From a fleet operating perspective that means company car choice lists should be built around cars with low emissions and drivers advised that those vehicles will result in lower tax bills. Equally, the lower a car's CO2 figure the better its MPG so fuel savings are guaranteed.

With the European Commission recently announcing proposals to force carmakers to produce low emission cars, Renault is acknowledged to be in the vanguard of manufacturing CO2-friendly diesel and petrol-engined vehicles with more than 150 models below 165 g/km (VED Band C) including 90 below 150 g/km (VED Band B).

The Government began its move to encourage the uptake of low CO2 emitting vehicles with the introduction of graduated Vehicle Excise Duty six years ago. The expectation is that, in the near future, the difference between the rates will further increase - the top rate is currently £210 for petrol cars and £215 for diesel cars over 225 g/km of CO2.

In 2002, the Government changed company car tax and established a link with CO2 emissions. While benefit-in-kind tax levels have been frozen since 2005/6 in a move to further promote the take-up environmentally-friendly company cars the threshold for the minimum benefit-in-kind tax charge will be cut to 135 g/km of CO2 from 140 g/km in 2008/9.

And in a further move, a new lower 10% band for company cars with CO2 emissions of 120 g/km or less will be introduced in 2008/9 Renault already has more than 20 models that fit into that banding.

The principle of 'the polluter pays' is also expected to apply to congestion charging with London Mayor Ken Livingstone proposing CO2-linked charges for vehicles entering the capital's central charging zone.

If approved by Transport for London, the daily charge for vehicles in VED Band G (over 225 g/km of CO2) will rise to £25 from 2009. However, in 2008, the charge will be removed for cars in Bands A (under 100 g/km) and B (101-120 g/km). Cars in other VED bands will continue to pay the £8 daily charge (£7 for fleet-registered vehicles).

A national congestion charging system, is under consideration by the Government and that too could be possibly CO2-based.

Meanwhile, the latest 'green' tax move sees a trend for local authorities to link charges for residents' parking permits to the CO2 emissions of their vehicles.

Richmond upon Thames council in south west London will become the first authority to introduce the move in April. That will see free first parking permits for cars in VED Band A, 50% discounts on the current £100 cost for Band B cars, 10% discounts for Band C, and increments for Bands D-G running from 10% (£110) for the former to 200% (£300) for the latter.

In announcing the move, leader of Richmond Council Serge Lourie called climate change 'the defining issue of our age'. Richmond's lead is already being followed by other London boroughs - Camden and Haringey - and many local authorities outside the capital are expected to follow suit.

Renault models with sub-120 g/km CO2 emission levels are available across the Clio, Modus and Mégane ranges powered by the marque's 1.5 dCi engine with either 68, 86 or 106 bhp outputs.

In the 121-150 g/km CO2 emission range there is a choice of models across the Clio, Modus, Mégane, Kangoo and Scenic ranges with even the 150 bhp 2.0 dCi 150 bhp Mégane Sport Hatch emitting just 146 g/km. Additionally, Clio and Modus models powered by Renault's 1.2 16v 75 bhp petrol engine are also available.

Finally, in the 151-165 g/km CO2 emission range there is a wide choice of petrol and diesel-engined models across virtually all Renault model lines - Clio, Modus, Kangoo, Mégane Laguna, Scénic and Grand Scénic - Renault.