Politikbrief

02/2010

News service for decision makers in politics and economics

Contents
PE Study: CO2 emissions and freight traffic rail is better than road? It is not as simple as that.
Those who want to discuss the carbon footprint of freight traffic should not rely on outdated generalisations, as a study by the research institute PE International

Power of innovation German know-how advances CO2 reductions The automobile industry is making excellent progress in terms of its CO2 reductions. The latest study from Transport & Environment (T&E) the umbrella organisation for Europes environmental associations New traffic light system for passenger cars Customers who want to buy a fridge or a washing machine take a look at the green bar first, as the color coded bar with the letter A ensures that the chosen appliance is not a power guzzler Accident statistics virtually no difference between passenger cars and light goods vehicles The number of light goods vehicles (LGVs) involved in accidents has been declining significantly for about the last ten years. Today, LGVs on the road are as safe as passenger cars and they provide the occupants with a Book Launch Automobilstandort Deutschland - German, Home to the Automotive Industry Executives from the automotive industry and experienced automotive journalists take their own individual look at the birthplace of the vehicle. Imprint

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Politikbrief

02/2010

CO2 emissions and freight traffic rail is better than road? It is not as simple as that.
Comparison of the greenhouse gas emissions on two examples Those who want to discuss the carbon footprint of freight traffic should not rely on outdated generalisations, as a study by the research institute PE International has revealed that road transportation is not necessarily any less environmentally-friendly than other means of transport. modern trucks are the most eco-friendly mode of transportation for a range of transport tasks. In a study entitled Comparison of energy demand and emissions from road, rail and waterway transport in longdistance freight transport, the institute compared the various means of transportation. The key finding is that a generalisation cannot be made about whether road, rail or waterway is the most environmentally-friendly method. what is important is the actual transportation task that has to be completed. A commonly voiced clich states that rail is generally better; that depending on the study it is two to five times more eco-friendly than transportation by road. An example from the PE study proves that it is just not that simple. The scenario involves the transportation of heavy goods, i.e. engines and gear parts with a weight of 220 tons (figure 1). These goods were moved by intra-company transport 115 kilometers from stuttgart to rastatt. 1.1 to 1.3 tons of CO2 were produced for the entire transportation by road. However, higher emissions 1.4 tons of CO2 were generated with rail transportation, as a very short train with only six wagons had to be used. different results are produced when the same goods are transported approximately 630 kilometers from stuttgart to Bremen (figure 2). In this case, 10 tons of CO2 would be emitted by the truck. In contrast, the train would only generate 7 tons of CO2 for the entire transport. However these findings would only apply if a long train with 20 wagons could actually be fully loaded by the rail company. The results are very surprising. firstly, the study shows that no means of transport can always boast a better CO2 footprint than the others. secondly, it also reveals that the CO2 differences between rail and road are not anywhere near as significant as previous studies and comparative calculations have indicated. One reason why other calculations produce basically different results is the outdated assumptions concerning the fuel consumption of a truck. since the end of the 1960s, consumption has constantly decreased. Today, a long-distance truck no longer uses almost 50 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers but only around 30 liters. A wide variety of innovations have made this possible. diesel engines have become more efficient and vehicles more aerodynamic. freight companies deploy modern telematics systems and reduce the number of empty trips. more and more drivers are receiving training in efficient driving. All these factors have helped to reduce consumption. The complex results of the PE study show that no means of transport is more ecofriendly per se. Each individual case is different. Transferring traffic from the road to rail therefore does not make ecological sense in every case; each situation must be carefully examined and calculated.
Truck Train

1.50

1.25

1.00 t CO2 e/trip

0.75

0.50

0.25

0
Truck 30l/100km fuel consumption Truck 36l/100km fuel consumption Train

Heavy goods are moved 115 kilometres from Stuttgart to Rastatt. Higher emissions are generated with rail transportation. For the train, the main transport by rail is shown in yellow (main carriage) and the trip to the loading station is in purple (pre-carriage).

10

t CO2 e/trip

Heavy goods are moved 630 kilometres from Stutgart to Bremen.

Source: PE International

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Politikbrief

02/2010

Power of innovation German know-how advances CO2 reductions

The automobile industry is making excellent progress in terms of its CO2 reductions. The latest study from Transport & Environment (T&E) the umbrella organisation for Europes environmental associations shows that the CO2 emissions of passenger cars registered in Europe in 2009 decreased by 5.1 per cent on average when compared to the previous year. This is the largest fall since the introduction of Europe-wide measurement in 2000. The CO2 reductions achieved by the German automobile industry are the result of consistent technological improvements. despite the economic crisis, manufacturers and their suppliers increased their research and development expenditure in 2009 by a further 4.4 per cent, meaning that these companies represented more than one third of all industrial r&d expenditure in Germany. A large share of the Euro 21 billion invested was spent in the area of alternative drives and the optimisation of traditional combustion engines. In the future too, the automobile industry throughout Europe will be doing everything in its power to achieve the CO2 limits of 130 g/km on average set for 2012. despite the progress made, this remains a huge challenge after all, Europe has the most stringent CO2 targets in the world. According to the T&E study, the average CO2 emissions in Europe in 2009 were actually 145.7 g CO2/km. Consequently a further reduction of almost 11 per cent has yet to be achieved within just two years. furthermore, the performance record of German manufacturers is particularly impressive. According to the latest figures from the federal Office for motor Vehicles (kBA), between January and October this year German manufacturers recorded lower CO2 values than imported brands in all ten vehicle segments (see chart). The fact that the German manufacturers displayed a slightly higher average value than the importers for all new registered cars (146.7 g CO2/km as opposed to 150.1 g CO2/km in October 2010) is only an apparent contradiction. This is simply due to the fact that the domestic manufacturers offer a broad range and are particularly well represented in the premium segment, proving the strong competitivity of the German manufacturers. This broad product portfolio is itself recognized by the EU Commission, when it states in the directives on CO2 regulation that the statutory stipulations should be equitable to the diversity of the European automobile manufacturers (COm (2007) 19 final, dated 07.02.2007). The CO2 reduction achieved over the past number of years cannot be automatically replicated year on year. This is due among other things to the lifecycles of vehicles. Naturally, the CO2 values of those vehicles which are already on the market cannot be reduced without further effort. major changes are only possible with a new model and from planning to sales takes approximately 5 years. Therefore, calls to tighten up even further the CO2 regulations already in place are unrealistic given the planning time required. In any event it is irritating that the automobile industrys success in working towards the existing limits has provoked criticism from some corners rather than recognition. some political powers give the impression that only a failure to meet the limit values (and thus fines!) would suit their ends. A not altogether convincing understanding of environmental regulation.

German group brands have lower CO2 values than the imported brands in all ten segments

250

200

150

100 130.1 134.5 140.6 148.3 156.1 163.3 172.6 180.7 184.3 190.4 151.4 158.3 164.0 177.0 222.6 243.7 205.6 212.0 117.1 117.6 50 0

Su ar bco m pa Co ct m pa ct cla M ss id -s M ize id -s cla ize ss lu xu ry cla ss Lu xu ry cla ss

SU V Sp or ts ca r M in iva n

M icr oc

German group brands

Imported brands

Source: Federal Motor Transport Authority

PV

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Politikbrief

02/2010

New traffic light system for passenger cars label with colour scale is customer-oriented and encourages competition
Customers who want to buy a fridge or a washing machine take a look at the green bar first, as the color coded bar with the letter A ensures that the chosen appliance is not a power guzzler. The valuable information we are used to finding on our white goods will soon be available on passenger cars as well - an easy-to-understand colour scale that shows customers the CO2 balance of new models when they are looking to purchase a vehicle. The German government has scheduled the launch of the new energy consumption label for passenger cars for the summer of 2011. The aim is to create a transparent system for presenting information on how efficient a certain model is, i.e. whether it generally uses a lot or little fuel on average. Taking their weight into account, all the passenger cars available on the market will be divided into energy efficiency classes and colour coded from a range of colours. Vehicles whose consumption and emission values are significantly better than the average for their weight class are put into green classes. Vehicles with average values will be put into a yellow class. Poorer than average vehicles are coded in red. This colour scale enables the customer to see at a glance whether the vehicle is economical within its weight class or not, as compact cars are compared with other compact cars and large family cars are compared with large family cars. Critics accuse the planned eco certificate of being misleading as it is not based solely on absolute CO2 values. However the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VdA) does not agree, as a system which uses absolute values would mean that all small cars would be given green classification and larger cars would always be red. The consumer would not be able to see how efficient a certain passenger car is in comparison to similar models of the same size. However, it is this particular comparison that customers need in order to decide on what model to purchase. for example, buyers who need a family car are not interested in how much fuel a small car uses; only in how much fuel other family cars use. A classification system such as this also spurs car manufacturers on to greater achievements. Everyone has to make an effort - whether they are producing small cars or family vehicles. This creates competition within all the classes and it thus provides the companies with an additional impetus for research and development activities. If the CO2 values of the passenger cars on the market continue to improve in the future, the system will be made more rigorous. The planned label therefore boasts key advantages - it encourages producers to compete to develop more and more efficient models and it makes buyers aware of the consumption efficiency of the vehicles. Both these factors will result in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. furthermore, this concept could also serve as a model for harmonisation throughout Europe, as a correlation with vehicle weight would be a useful enhancement to the CO2 ruling for passenger cars passed in Brussels.

New traffic light system for passenger cars: Possible design of the new energy consumption label
Information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in accordance with directive 1999/94/EU
Brand: Model: Output: Fuel: Other sources of energy: Vehicle mass: Combined: Urban: Extra-urban: /100 km /100 km /100 km g/km kWh/100 km

Fuel consumption CO2 emissions Power consumption

Combined: Cpmbined:

The values shown have been calculated in accordance with the prescribed test methods (Article 2, Nos. 5, 6, 6a of the currently valid version of PKW-EnVKV [Directive on consumer information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions of new passenger cars]). CO2 emissions that are generated due to the production and supply of the fuel/other sources of energy are not taken into account in the calculation of the CO2 emissions in accordance with the 1999/94/EC directive. The information is not related to one single vehicle and is not a component part of the offer. Its sole purpose is to facilitate comparisons of the various different types of vehicle.

Energy efficiency
A+ A B C D E F G

Calculated on the basis of the CO2 emissions measured, taking the vehicle mass into account.

Annual tax for this vehicle Costs for the sources of energy for 20,000 km Fuel costs (_____________) at a fuel price of _______ euros/calculation unit Electricity costs at an electricity price of ________ euros/calculation unit

Euro Euro Euro Issued on:

Information in accordance with directive 1999/94/EC The fuel consumption and the CO2 emissions of a vehicle not only depend on efficient fuel utilisation on the part of the vehicle; they are also affected by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors. CO2 is the greenhouse gas that is mainly responsible for global warming. Guidelines on the fuel consumption and the CO2 emissions of all passenger vehicle models available for purchase in Germany are available free of charge at every point of sale in Germany and are provided or offered with the new passenger car model.

source: VdA

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Politikbrief

02/2010

Accident statistics virtually no difference between passenger cars and light goods vehicles
The number of light goods vehicles (LGVs) involved in accidents has been declining significantly for about the last ten years. Today, LGVs on the road are as safe as passenger cars and they provide the occupants with a comparable level of protection. These are the initial findings of the safety of Light Goods Vehicles study which is currently being jointly carried out by the federal Highway research Institute (BAst), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VdA), the German Insurers Accident research (UdV) and dEkrA. since 2001, there has been a reversal in the trend of the number of accidents related to LGVs. The number of LGVs involved in accidents fell from 15.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles to only 11.8 in 2008. The comparable value for passenger cars in the year 2008 was 9.4 cars involved in accidents, however the above-average mileage of the LGVs was not taken into account. when one considers that LGVs travel approximately 50 per cent more than passenger cars in a year it becomes clear that LGVs and passenger cars boast virtually the same levels of safety. This development is particularly remarkable as approximately four times as many LGVs were registered in Germany in 2009 than in 1997. The number of vehicles rose from 164,000 to 672,000. despite this enormous increase, the number of casualties from LGV accidents reduced significantly. driver assist and safety systems that modern vehicles are now equipped with have played a major role in this improvement. The study also shows that speed limits for LGVs on highways would only address a very small number of accident risks. This is because the actual causes of accidents are far more diverse and primarily relate to driving behavior and servicing. LGV drivers still fasten their seatbelts far too infrequently. The proportion of drivers wearing seat belts is only 74 to 83 per cent compared with almost 100 per cent in passenger cars. Loads are also not adequately secured. furthermore, young drivers are involved in accidents at an above-average rate. In order to make drivers aware of the particular challenges presented by LGVs, training has to be improved even more. The failure of owners to ensure that their vehicles are properly serviced also has a negative effect. The dEkrA analysis identified technical defects on 57 per cent of the vehicles involved in accidents that it inspected. with almost one in four vehicles, lack of servicing was even considered of relevance to the accident. regular servicing is therefore crucial in ensuring that LGVs are kept in technically perfect condition. LGVs have become an indispensable part of our daily life. They bring the flowers on mothers day, they are mobile workshops for tradesmen and they deliver the goods we ordered on the internet quickly and straight to our door. LGVs perform all these tasks with a high level of safety that is constantly improving.
Number of accidents on the decrease for almost ten years
Number of LGVs involved in accidents on the decrease since 2001 (LGVs from 2.8 to 3.5 t)

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Vehicles involved per 1,000 vehicles 2001 Vehicles involved per 1,000 vehicles 2008

Source: DEKRA

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Politikbrief

02/2010

Automobilstandort deutschland Germany, Home to the Automotive Industry

Germany, Home to the Automotive Industry

M O N O G R A P H I E N Automobilstandort Deutschland

from innovative spirit to economic strength, from large and small-scale inventions to the strategy of a global player, from the very first automobiles to the mobility of the future the newly published book Automobilstandort deutschland - Germany, Home to the Automotive Industry gives a unique, comprehensive insight into these and other core aspects of Germanys key industry.
Automobilstandort Deutschland
Eine Erfolgsgeschichte mit Zukunft

Germany, Home to the Automotive Industry

A success story with a future

Herausgegeben in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Published in cooperation with the

The launch of the book, published by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VdA) in cooperation with the Oldenburg publishing house kommunikation und wirtschaft, is the first event to mark the 125-year anniversary of the automobile in the coming year. The book contains more than 200 pages on which top managers from the industry and experienced automotive journalists take their own individual look at the birthplace of the vehicle and the strength of its industry. with numerous illustrations and photographs, they take the reader on a journey through successful vehicle advertising and through automotive museums and trade fairs. They also provide insights into Germanys cherished vintage vehicles and modern classics. Passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and representatives from trailer and body companies also contribute to the book. They are all brought together under the umbrella of the VdA, the only automotive association world wide that represents companies from the entire value added chain.

The bilingual publication (German and English) is now available in bookshops. IsBN 978-3-88363-312-1

deutscher Wirtschaftsgebiete

Imprint
Publisher German Association of the Automotive Industry VdA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) Verband der Automobilindustrie Behrenstr. 35 10117 Berlin www.vda.de Telefon 030 89 7842-0 Telefax 030 89 78 42-600 dr. kay Lindemann stv. Geschftsfhrer Telefon 030 89 87 42 - 107 Telefax 030 89 87 42 - 603 E-mail lindemann@vda.de sabine steinhoff referentin kommunikation Telefon 030 89 87 42 - 133 Telefax 030 89 87 42 - 603 E-mail steinhoff@vda.de

responsible for content

Editor

Contributors to this Political report Tineke Bartsch, sandra Courant, (alphabetically listed) dirk Hke, dr. martin koers, Peter mair, dr. michael Niedenthal status december 2010