Reducing petrol emissions

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons are released into the air from petrol motor vehicle exhaust. They are the major ingredients of photochemical smog.

New national fuel and vehicle emission standards mean emissions from petrol vehicles will continue to improve. As a result of these standards, despite increasing numbers of vehicles and kilometres travelled, in Sydney between 2011 and 2021 it is predicted that:

• Total hydrocarbons will fall by 21 per cent.
• NOx will fall by 7 per cent.
• Carbon monoxide will fall by 38 per cent.
• PM10 (particles 10 microns or less in diameter) will fall by 6 per cent.

Source:  NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water 2007.

Further information about air quality in the Greater Metropolitan Region (covering Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong) can be found at the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water website.

Vehicle Emissions

Road transport is a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Between 1990 and 2007, emissions from road transport increased by 26.1 per cent or 14.2 million tonnes. In 2007, road transport was responsible for 68.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Passenger vehicles are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and accounted for around 61 percent in 2007 (source: Australian Government, Department of Climate Change, 2009).

On average, for every litre of petrol used in a motor vehicle, 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide is released from the exhaust (source: Australian Government, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2009).

EcoDriving

What is EcoDriving

EcoDriving is about driving efficiently. It saves you money and helps the environment by reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

It is about driving in an environmentally conscious and energy saving way that suits modern engine technology. EcoDriving also promotes vehicle maintenance and other things you can do to reduce the amount of fuel you use and the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted from your vehicle.

EcoDriving Tips

1. Don’t fill your petrol tank past the first click.
   Expansion of the fuel can result in increased emissions.
2. Use air conditioning only when necessary.
   Air conditioning is most efficient when you are travelling above 60km/hr.
3. Check the tyre pressure frequently.
   Deflated tyres increase rolling resistance and fuel consumption.
4. Prevent idling.
   Turn the engine off if you are caught in a traffic jam and your car is stationary.
5. Avoid carrying unnecessary weight.
   Remove objects such as roof racks and bike racks when not in use and don’t leave heavy items such as golf clubs permanently in your vehicle.
6. Don’t speed.
   Stick to the speed limit as higher speeds increase fuel consumption.
7. Plan your trip.
   Use a map or a global positioning system (GPS) to find out your most direct route. Also combine errands where possible to avoid multiple trips.
8. Don’t warm up the engine before starting off.
   Today’s vehicles do not require warming up, except in cold climates and after long periods of non-use. Gentle driving is enough to warm up the engine.
9. Maintain your vehicle.                                            
   Ensure your vehicle is regularly serviced and has the correct amount of engine oil and coolant.
10. When driving a manual car, shift gears up as soon as possible.
11. Maintain a steady speed.
    Smooth acceleration and deceleration will decrease fuel consumption.
12. Drive according to traffic conditions.

What are the benefits of EcoDriving

As well as being helpful to the environment EcoDriving can also help you save money.

Did you know

• Using the manufacturers recommended grade of engine oil can improve your fuel economy by between one and two per cent (source: United States Government, Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 2009) and save you around $40 per year*.
• A 25 per cent deflation in tyre pressure increases fuel consumption by two per cent (source: ecodrive.org, 2009) and will cost you around $1.54 each time you fill up your tank. If you fill your tank up each week that’s $80 a year*.
• An additional load of 100 kilograms on a 1.5 tonne vehicle can increase fuel consumption by seven per cent (source: Treatise, 2005).
• The fuel consumption of an idling engine is 0.5 litres per hour – 1.15kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions per hour (source: Treatise 2006).  
• Driving more efficiently even at moderate levels can reduce fuel use by an average of 15 per cent (source: Ecodriving USA, 2009) and save the average motorist around $300 per year*.

* Savings based on a passenger car with 60 litre petrol tank. Fuel consumption 15,975 litres per year – the Australian average (source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004). Fuel price 128.9 cents per litre – 2008/09 Australian average for unleaded (source: Australian Institute of Petroleum 2009).

EcoDriving Links

• ecoDriving USA 
• Ecodriven (Europe) 

Other ways to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption

• Keep windows closed to minimise air drag and improve fuel efficiency.
• Keep track of fuel economy – a loss in economy usually means an increase in emissions.
• Avoid driving in congested peak hour traffic.

Buy a greener vehicle

By choosing a greener vehicle, you can make a real difference. The Green Vehicle Guide helps you by rating vehicles (manufactured from 2004) based on greenhouse and air pollution emissions.

The rating is calculated using data provided by manufacturers from testing the vehicle against Australian standards. The Green Vehicle Guide also provides information on the fuel economy of new vehicles available on the Australian market.

The Green Vehicle Guide is an initiative of the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

If you intend to purchase a used car, the Fuel Consumption Guide Database provides comparative data on the fuel consumption of many vehicles sold in Australia between 1986 and 2003. The database includes passenger cars, four-wheel drives and light commercial vehicles up to 2.7 tonnes gross vehicle mass.

The Fuel Consumption Guide Database is an initiative of the Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

Purchase carbon offsets

By purchasing carbon offsets, you can offset the greenhouse emissions caused by your vehicle.You will be making an investment in a project or activity that reduces greenhouse gas emissions or removes carbon from the atmosphere. Emission reduction projects aim to prevent or remove an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) generated through carbon producing activities (i.e. industrial process, transportation, electricity production, etc).

Carbon offsets can be purchased from Australian retailers, brokers or developers who have committed to investing the funds raised into projects or activities that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or help remove (sequester) carbon from our atmosphere. If you would like further information about purchasing carbon offsets, please visit the RTA’s DriveGreen web page.

Carbon offset products most typically involve projects investing in:

• Forestry.
• Energy efficiency.
• Avoidance of methane emissions.
• Renewable energy.
• Industrial gas.

(source: Clean Energy Council)

The RTA's DriveGreen calculator helps you to calculate the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted from your car each year. It is based on the information you provide and is a useful guide for deciding how many carbon offsets you should purchase.

Check your emissions

The RTA offers free emissions testing for petrol and LPG vehicles so you can check the emissions performance of your vehicle. Properly maintained vehicles have emissions that are close to the new vehicle standard. High emissions may indicate a problem that a tune-up or repairs could fix, and as a result save you money on petrol.

The RTA has laboratory grade emissions testing equipment (accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities) at Botany and Penrith Motor Registries. If you would like to get your vehicle tested, please call the RTA Customer Service Centre on 137 AIR (137 247) for a booking. Testing normally takes 20 to 30 minutes.

These facilities are also used to test modified vehicles, smoky vehicles and LPG vehicles.  Since the introduction of this testing in 1998, in excess of 15,760 tests have been completed.

The Second National In-Service Emissions Study (NISE 2)

The RTA was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in June 2007 to oversee the main phase of NISE 2. The purpose of NISE 2 was to source and test a sample of light duty petrol vehicles representative of those on Australian roads. Emissions tests were focussed on vehicles manufactured from 1994 to 2007 and measured in particular, emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrous oxides (NOx) as well as particulates.

NISE 2 provides an accurate measurement of aggregate emissions and fuel consumption performance of the test vehicles, as well as providing a comparison between in-service emission levels of vehicles and the emission standards that they were designed to comply with when new. This project provides a better understanding of the effect of tougher emission standards and provides data to enable more accurate modelling of the likely effect of various vehicle emission management strategies.

Further information about the NISE2 study is available at the Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website.

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