Green(er) initiative

The emissions scandal that rocked the global automotive industry in 2015 has resulted in greater awareness of vehicle pollution and its impact on air quality, public health, and the environment.

It also focused attention on emissions testing, as a whole, and the trustworthiness of the information provided to consumers.

Last month, the Green NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) was launched initially in Europe with the support of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body of world motor sport (including Formula One and the World Rally Championship) that brings together 236 national motoring and sporting organizations from more than 135 countries, thereby representing millions of motorists worldwide.

Green NCAP is the new environmental performance program of Euro NCAP, which has more than 20 years of experience in providing consumers with safety rating information. The Green NCAP pilot program was launched by Euro NCAP in 2017, supported by the FIA Sustainable Mobility Program which receives funding from the FIA Foundation.

Composed of independent stakeholders from the automotive sector, as well as European governments, consumer groups and universities, Green NCAP includes four FIA member clubs of Europe.

REWARDING THE EXEMPLARY. Green NCAP aims to employ the same methodology as its safety forebear – supporting and promoting existing legislation by rewarding exemplary vehicles and their manufacturers.

By using a broad range of methods to complement approval tests and by simplifying complex results through the offering of targeted consumer information, Green NCAP rewards manufacturers whose vehicles go beyond the minimum requirements to offer excellent, robust, real-world performance.

“By going beyond the legal requirements, differences between vehicles can be highlighted and more realistic information about the fuel consumption in daily use can be given to consumers,” says Pierre Castaiang, president of Euro NCAP.

“This should be very relevant for every car buyer but also for fleet operators and authorities that are interested in monitoring the environmental impact of cars. A true assessment of their cars is also beneficial to the manufacturers as it rewards innovation and provides an incentive for improvement.”

INDEPENDENT SOURCE. “Green NCAP is designed to be an independent source of information for consumers, something they can rely on and base their judgment on when they are looking for a new vehicle,” FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility and Tourism Andrew McKellar added.

“But it is also intended to provide competitive pressure on the industry to make sure it is reaching the best standards possible in terms of environmental performance.”

Today, most new car models are offered with a range of power units: petrol, diesel, hybrid and full electric. Green NCAP aims to provide information about as many of these variants as possible, but it is almost impossible for an independently funded organization to test all of them.

The most popular vehicles across the range of powertrain types will be tested to maximize the information available to consumers. To begin with, Green NCAP will look only at passenger cars. In time, as more cars are added, the database will expand to provide a comprehensive resource.

FIVE STARS. In Green NCAP’s first round of tests, 12 cars were rated. The Hyundai Ioniq and BMW i3, both electric vehicles, achieved a maximum five-star rating, while the VW up! GTI got four stars. BMW’s X1 2.0d and the Mercedes-Benz A200 were awarded three stars.

The Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost was given two stars in its latest guise, with a one-star rating given to the Audi A7 50 TDI, the Volvo XC40 T5, and Subaru’s Outback 2.5.

Three vehicles – the VW Golf 1.6TDI, Fiat Panda 1.0 and the previous-level Ford Fiesta EcoBoost – received zero star ratings.

The long-term aim of Green NCAP is to develop a collaboration with manufacturers similar to the safety partnership that resulted from the launch of Euro NCAP more than two decades ago, and which now includes associated schemes worldwide.

If the program is successful, it should not only restore consumer trust in the industry, but also provide a green arms race among manufacturers. Ultimately, the real winner of that battle will be future generations and the environment in which they live.

Source: Auto International Journal of the FIA, Issue # 26