© Data: dena, Infografics: BMWi
What car buyers need to know
Most consumers will be familiar with the sight of the EU Efficiency Label, which features bars shaded in colours ranging from red to green and shows how energy-efficient a product is. It can be found on home appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators. Since 2011, a similar energy-efficiency label has been adorning new cars. It shows which efficiency rating a car has been given and makes it easier for buyers to compare different models. The label also informs buyers of the car's fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Since its introduction five years ago, the label has gained in importance. In 2012, the share of prospective car buyers surveyed by the German Energy Agency (dena) that said the energy-efficiency label was playing an 'important' or very 'important' role in their decision for or against a specific type of car stood at 58 per cent. Since then, this figure has grown by 15 percentage points. Seventy-three per cent of prospective car buyers surveyed by dena in late 2015 said that they were paying attention to the coloured scale. The figures only include respondents who actually knew about the label.
Incidentally, it seems that women are a very important target group when it comes to raising awareness of the label. When buying a new car, women are even slightly more likely than men to focus on criteria such as fuel consumption, fuel costs, and carbon emissions.
If you're looking for a new car with a strong energy performance, here's where to find all the relevant information
Go to www.pkw-label.de (in German only) to find out more about energy-efficient cars. This website run by the German Energy Agency and supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy furnishes car buyers and dealers with information on energy-efficient cars, along with answers to questions such as: Which car is the right one for me? What is the most efficient model in each category? What are the running costs for my dream car? The running costs for cars listed in the 'green' efficiency categories A+, A and B will be particularly low, thanks to the lower vehicle tax that applies and lower fuel costs. The website also has some practical tips for car dealers, including how to read the energy-efficiency label for electric cars, and on how to display this information in the showroom.
The energy-efficiency label is the most important source of information for buyers that take an interest in energy efficiency, an efficient use of resources, and environmental protection. The data and efficiency categories indicated on the label make it easy to compare different cars, including models powered by natural gas, fuel cells or electric power. The label is mandatory for all types of new cars. Ultimately, this helps encourage consumers to go for an energy-efficient car and take part in the energy transition in the mobility sector. That in turn will help us meet our efficiency and climate targets.