Average CO2 emissions continue to drop steeply in 2010

Average CO2 emissions continue to drop steeply in 2010

The trend towards more energy-efficient cars resulted in a significant drop-off in average vehicle emissions during 2010, new figures from the European Union have shown.

With the launch of the Nissan Leaf and Ford's move to introduce a new, highly efficient engine, last year saw cutting carbon go mainstream, resulting in a 3.7 per cent average drop in CO2 emissions across the continent.

This makes 2010's decline the second-largest on record, since the EU started gathering emissions data in 2000.

As a result, the average European car now emits 140g of CO2 per km, and at this rate the 2015 target of an average of 130g/km will be met ahead of schedule.

In 2009 average car emissions dropped by a much larger 5.1 per cent, but the EU puts this down to the financial downturn and the introduction of car scrappage schemes.

Written by Louise Clark