Prompted by the CO2 BIK table for company car drivers here, http://www.businesscar.co.uk/news/2015/budget-2015-company-car-tax-rates-until-201920-revealed

 

What do you think we can realistically expect emissions levels to hit for typical family cars?

If you wanted something Octavia sized with a 0-60 time of around 9 or 10 seconds we've gone from the Mk1 1.9 TDI 130bhp through the Mk2 2.0 TDI 140bhp and on to the Mk3 2.0TDI 150bhp.

Performance has improved and emissions have fallen since I got my first one in 2003, but what are we likely to have in another 5 or 10 years?

Today, my Octavia would attract a BIK rate of 18%, but if I didn't want to pay significantly more in five years time I'd have to be down to about 74g - plausible, or an impossible goal....

Realistically, I think we're below "realistic levels" already barring a real order of magnitude improvement in the energy density of accumulators.

 

Just compare the true fuel economy of a hybrid on a 300 mile tag with that reported by an ECE15 test.

Depends. Get a Hybrid and you will reach those stupidly low figures, because hybrids are able to distort them.

You will never match the MPG they claim, but as long as the government are fooled into believing hybrid CO2 claims, then you will get the low BIK rate.

 

Get a normal car though, and you could well struggle. That's a massive drop from the CO2 rating of the 150ps Octy.

Depends. Get a Hybrid and you will reach those stupidly low figures, because hybrids are able to distort them.

You will never match the MPG they claim, but as long as the government are fooled into believing hybrid CO2 claims, then you will get the low BIK rate.

 

Get a normal car though, and you could well struggle. That's a massive drop from the CO2 rating of the 150ps Octy.

My point was that hybrids only get those low figures on ECE15 by being able to not use the hydrocarbon engine for 2/3 of the test. Put it in the real World outside a city and that advantage vanishes.

The EU testing is bound to change soon because it's so far away form real life. I wonder if they'll change the bands up to reflect that when it happens. I bet they don't.

The EU testing is bound to change soon because it's so far away form real life. I wonder if they'll change the bands up to reflect that when it happens. I bet they don't.

 

They are going to have to, or no motorist would vote for them.

 

My point was that hybrids only get those low figures on ECE15 by being able to not use the hydrocarbon engine for 2/3 of the test. Put it in the real World outside a city and that advantage vanishes.

Oh yeah, I know. Plus not having to charge the battery up.

Anymore than short journeys, and a hybrid is worse than a diesel in real life.