Introduction of new energy technologies in road transport will mean that the current tailpipe measures of the climate impact of vehicles will become inadequate in future, according to a new report.

The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) says that about 80% of greenhouse gas emissions occur during the life span of a vehicle. But with the introduction of plug-in electric cars, more of the carbon emissions will occur at the power station and during production.

LowCVP managing director Andy Eastlake said: “This new report indicates that it is time to move on from the current tailpipe carbon measure.

“We are calling for the UK to lead the way in incorporating whole-life, fuel consumption and vehicle efficiency to provide better information on the carbon impact of vehicles.”

The report states that manufactures are beginning to turn more of their attention to vehicle component materials and production processes as they account for differing amounts of embodied carbon.

Use of CO2 emissions as an established comparator for different vehicles will become less effective, it says, and almost irrelevant in terms of identifying the true carbon profiles.

LowCVP chairman Professor Neville Jackson added: “To select the most appropriate future technologies and products, we need to take a more holistic view of their environmental impacts and it is increasingly clear that we need to look beyond the tailpipe.”   

Photo: David Reber's Hammer Photography

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