[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW Among Manufacturers Closest to EU CO2 Targets

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BMW is currently among the top 3 automakers closest to making their European Union mandated CO2 targets. They are currently #3 and follow Toyota and PSA/Peugeot-Citron. BMW needs to cut its overall fleet emissions by only 7.1 percent in order to meet the more onerous emissions regulations which begin next year. Toyota needs to reduce by only 4.2 percent, and PSA by 5.1 percent.

BMW has been able to be far ahead of the curve on meeting the targets through a combination of offering increased diesel efficiency and models, activehybrid models, smaller motors with forced induction (turbo), and soon to join the fleet - pure electric vehicles.

The increased emissions standards call for reducing CO2 emissions from new cars sold in Europe to a fleet average of 130g/km by the year 2015. Failure to meet the standards will impose heavy fines - from 2012 to 2018 penalties are 5 euros per vehicle for the first g/km of CO2; 15 euros for the second gram; 25 euros for the third gram; and 95 euros from the fourth gram onwards. A carmaker with sales of 1 million units in Europe that misses the target by 1g/km of CO2 faces a 5 million euro fine.

Source [Autonews]

[Bols]

Gotta love EU and their fines 'cause they think they know everything best -_-

Not too surprised by BMW's results though! They've nearly perfected combining power & efficiency

[antzcrashing]

surprised by good performance by Ford and GM and poor performance of Honda.

[sneaks]

How does bmw get a higher target than say toyota?

[Diver]

Originally Posted by sneaks

How does bmw get a higher target than say toyota?

I suspect in EU the rules are similar to the US with vehicle size classes and different targets that increase with vehicle size. Manufacturers with a mix having more larger cars get a higher target. The reasoning behind this is complex, but part of it was to force improvements on all sizes of vehicles rather than leave manufacturers with no alternative but to push small cars on a public that does not want to buy them.

In the US this system tends to work against BMW as its mix of vehicles is smaller than those made by the "Big 3". I strongly suspect that the increase in wheelbase of the 3 series is linked to moving it up to the next larger vehicle class.

[sneaks]

Originally Posted by Diver

. I strongly suspect that the increase in wheelbase of the 3 series is linked to moving it up to the next larger vehicle class.

It seems many manufacturers have increased the size of vehicles over model iterations. The fit is a civic, the civic is an accord and the accord is bigger over the last 10 years.
The altima is the size of the old maxima.
The ford focus isn't much bigger, but you can get it with all the sweet options. I don't know of an example of a vehicle getting smaller though.
Bmw has a 1 series which is very close in size to the 3 series. I will probably be in the market for a 1 series because anything bigger than the e90 i have now is too big for my taste.

[Diver]

sneaks,

What you say is true about increases in vehicle size, but lately some of the increases are tied to the fuel economy rules. BMW is increasing the wheelbase of the 3 more than it's overall length. Vehicle size classes are measured by footprint which is wheelbase x track. There is room in the 3 to increase both components of footprint with only a tiny increase in overall dimensions. Because the fuel economy targets are so high for small vehicles there will need to be major changes in models like the 135i, STI, 370Z and Evo X. Porsche has some challenges ahead, but their cars are so expensive that paying fines is an option. Detroit's pony cars are large enough to get by as is.

[sneaks]

diver,

there is some good information in your post.. and I agree with a federal push to move to more efficient vehicles, because the technology is available. I don't think we are going to see the underpowered vehicle generation many people are afraid of come 2016. Most people buy a car based on a peak hp number and rarely if ever even push the pedal far enough to see more than 30% of it. I think many of the "normal" vehicles will be made more efficient to make the manufacturers fleet average compliant while still catering to the enthusiast crowd. Obviously, there will be some casualties along the way in the small vehicle class but does that mean there will be an incentive for manufacturers to push the larger more powerful vehicles as they are less susceptible to the new regulations?

[ENINTY]

THANK GOD! We can now all breath easier!

Buy a BMW and save the planet....