| According to the leading carbon offsetting | | | | engine was originally designed by General |
| scheme for car drivers in the United Kingdom, | | | | Motors Corp. but was later redesigned and |
| the cost of offsetting the CO2 emissions of a | | | | produced by Land Rover in the UK. Volvo XC90 |
| typical 4x4 vehicle is less than £25 | | | | parts used here boast the power of its V8 |
| annually. | | | | engine based on Duratec V6. The V8 was |
| | | | developed in cooperation with Yamaha Motor |
| Drivers are infuriated by increasing parking | | | | Corporation. The VW Toureg, on the other |
| bills, congestion charges and other | | | | hand, uses different engines that include the |
| high-emission penalties. This is especially | | | | 2.5 L diesel I5/R5, 3.0 L diesel V6, 3.2 L |
| true with the 4x4 drivers. However, to show | | | | gasoline V6, .2 L gasoline V8, and 6.0 L |
| concern to the alarming global warming | | | | gasoline W12. Mercedes and BMW are famed in |
| issues, drivers surely could take an extra | | | | developing efficient and easy to maintain |
| mile to offset the harmful CO2 emissions. | | | | engines. |
| According to the online scheme, offsetting a | | | | |
| 4x4's CO2 emissions costs from just £16.71 | | | | Targetneutral is administered by a panel of |
| for a Land Rover Discovery to £24.69 for a | | | | leading environmentalists in the UK including |
| BMW X5. | | | | Jonathon Porritt and Tim Smit. The company |
| | | | works through a simple online carbon |
| Offsetting is a simple way for beleaguered | | | | calculator. The said online calculator could |
| 4x4 drivers to show their environment | | | | be used by drivers to input the make and |
| concerns. "Targetneutral supports the concept | | | | model of their cars and the number of miles |
| of taking steps to consume less energy as | | | | they drive a year to show the cost of |
| well as offsetting the emissions of your | | | | offsetting their cars' CO2 emissions. The |
| current mode of transport. But offsetting is | | | | proceeds of the website go to CO2 reduction |
| a helpful and thoughtful step to take, | | | | projects including alternative and renewable |
| whether you drive a Range Rover or a Mini," | | | | energy. |
| said Sheila Williams from the mentioned | | | | |
| scheme. | | | | Some automakers have underestimated cars' CO2 |
| | | | emissions casting doubt over the road tax |
| The targetneutral scheme recommends three | | | | system of the UK. According to Auto Express' |
| practical steps that drivers could take to | | | | own fuel efficiency investigations |
| remedy personal CO2 emissions. First, the | | | | automakers' quoted combined economy figures |
| website suggests that drivers could reduce | | | | are unrealistic. "We found their claims to be |
| emissions as much as possible by changing | | | | 17-20 per cent above what motorists will |
| behavior to use less fuel and be more fuel | | | | achieve in everyday driving," said road test |
| efficient. This step could also save a | | | | editor Oliver Marriage. |
| significant sum. The second step is to | | | | |
| replace the fuel, oil, tires and car with | | | | CO2 emissions and the Government's car |
| more fuel efficient products and models, | | | | taxation measure are directly proportionate |
| specifically high efficiency diesel vehicles, | | | | to fuel efficiency. The United States |
| when such would be possible. Finally, drivers | | | | environmental protection agency said, "Each |
| could neutralize the effects of the CO2 | | | | one per cent rise in consumption results in a |
| emissions that cannot be reduced or replaced | | | | one per cent rise in emissions." Therefore, |
| by joining its scheme. | | | | official CO2 figÂures could be up to 20 |
| | | | percent too low. |
| Based on the targetneutral's calculator, the | | | | |
| annual CO2 offsetting cost, on an average | | | | Auto Express' findings mean top-selling cars |
| annual mileage of 10,000 miles of selected | | | | could be contributing more to global warming |
| 4x4 cars in the United Kingdom are the | | | | than first thought. Ford's Focus 1.6, for |
| following: the Range Rover 3.6 TD V8 | | | | instance, officially puts out 161g/km of CO2 |
| £19.97; Land Rover Discovery 2.7 TD V6 | | | | however; it is more likely to emit 193g/km. |
| £16.71; Volvo XC90 3.2 SE Sport £20.97; | | | | That would move Focus from Band D to Band F, |
| VW Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI £19.28; Mercedes ML | | | | increasing road tax by £65 a year. |
| 320 CDI £17.40; and the BMW X5 4.4i SE | | | | |
| £24.69. | | | | Further, the Vehicle Certification Agency |
| | | | (VCA) states on its website that "emissions |
| The Land Rover V8 engine is a compact | | | | tests cannot fully represent real-life |
| internal combustion engine with aluminium | | | | driving conditions." This information should |
| cylinder heads and cylinder block. The said | | | | be taken vigilantly by car owners. |