Rochdale MEP fights for fuel efficient cars

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies

Car drivers are getting more miles to the gallon out of their vehicles, with big improvements still to come.

A Rochdale MEP says that fuel efficiency is set to increase by by 20% over the next six years.

Car manufacturers are gearing up to meet the requirements of a new EU law that forces them to reduce CO2 emissions from the fuel they burn.

Latest figures for the 12 million cars sold in Europe in 2008 reveal that average emissions were down by 3.3%, the largest fall since records began to be kept a decade ago.

Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Chris Davies, who helped negotiate the new law, says that the manufacturers are introducing long overdue changes.

He said: "They were slow to start, but car builders are now being forced to curb CO2 emissions.

"Vehicles are becoming more fuel efficient and this will help to keep down the cost of driving."

Average emissions from new cars sold in the UK during 2008 stood at 158.2 gCO2/km compared to a European average of 153.5 gCO2/km.

Across Europe currently 47.3% of car sold are fuelled by petrol, 51.4% by diesel, while 1.3% use alternative power sources.