HAPINZ Report Points To Increasing The Uptake Of Electric And Low-emissions Vehicles

The Motor Industry Association (MIA) welcomes the release of the updated HAPINZ report.

MIA Principal Technical Advisor Mark Stockdale says the HAPINZ report shows that more can be done to reduce harmful emissions from the current vehicle fleet.

“The main problem is caused by emissions from existing older vehicles, so focussing on the uptake of electric and low-emissions vehicles is the quickest route to improve air quality as they replace older internal combustion engine vehicles,” Mr Stockdale says.

“Where that’s not feasible, the MIA would support a timely transition to higher vehicle exhaust emission standards which would help play a small part in improving air quality,” Mr Stockdale said.

The MIA says a transition needs to be managed so it does not adversely disrupt the supply of a large number of new cars, including some low-emissions models.

“Moving from Euro 5 to Euro 6 emissions standards for new petrol vehicles offers no improvement in air quality outcomes. While there is an improvement in air quality from moving from Euro 5 to Euro 6 for new diesel vehicles, over 60 percent of new light vehicles sold are petrol-engined,” Mr Stockdale says.

Mr Stockdale says since the last updated HAPINZ report was published in 2012, the vehicle fleet has grown by nearly a million vehicles, up from around 720 vehicles per 1,000 people in 2012 to over 800 per 1,000 today.

“In the last decade, over 1.2 million used vehicles have been imported, which only needed to meet an equivalent Euro 4 emissions standard compared to Euro 5 for new cars. Unlike transitioning from Euro 5 to 6, there is an improvement in air quality by moving from Euro 4 to 5 so it would make sense to update the emissions standards to Euro 5 or equivalent for used imports,” Mr Stockdale said.

“In 2021 there was a 94% increase in the number of new vehicles sold with some form of electrification, totalling over 25,000. The MIA believes the continued prioritisation of the uptake of new electric and hybrid vehicles will provide the biggest gains in reducing harmful emissions from transport,” Mr Stockdale concluded.

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