Petrol cars with the lowest CO2 emissions

CO2 emissions are scientifically attributed to the increase in global average temperatures since the beginning of modern industrial times. It’s clear now that human emissions of carbon dioxide, along with other greenhouse gases, are a crucial component of what’s causing climate change to evolve so rapidly.

As one of the world’s most pressing challenges, it can sometimes feel like your small daily changes don’t make a difference, but they do. And, driving a car that emits lower CO2 emissions isn’t only good for the environment, it can also be good for your bank account.

How are CO2 emissions measured in cars?

When a petrol engine burns fuel to run, it produces carbon dioxide, or CO2, which goes through the exhaust pipe and out into the atmosphere. To measure the output of CO2 from a single car, benchmark tests are performed to calculate the density of the carbon dioxide that it emits. This density is expressed as grams per kilometer, or km.

The lower the density of carbon emissions that a car emits, the better for the environment it is. The lower that number is, the more fuel-efficient the car usually is, which is a major incentive for those looking for great fuel economy. This means that purchasing a vehicle with less than 100g/km of CO2 emissions will get far better mileage than a car with 300g/km CO2.

Tax incentives for low-emission cars

In places like the United States and the UK, there are tax incentives for purchasing and driving a car that emits less CO2. In the UK, for example, cars that were manufactured before 2017 have tax rates depending on the actual rating (£20 to £555 a year) while cars with a rating under 100g/km are exempt.

While the exemption doesn’t apply to petrol cars in the United States, all electric cars are eligible for a tax credit up to $7,500 if purchased new after 2010. You’ll also find local incentives for low-emissions vehicles that make it worth your investment. Saving the environment while putting more back into your savings...it doesn’t get much better than that.

What’s a good CO2 emission for a car?

Ultra-low emission cars are cars that emit less than 75g/km of CO2. However, those cars are often hard to come by. The Porsche 918 Spyder, for example, emits just 72g/km while the Smart Passion Cabriolet emits 84 g/km. For those not interested in high-end luxury cars or tiny electric cars, you can aim for a car with less than 250 g/km of CO2 emissions. BMW offers many great cars within this range, as does Audi and other well-known car brands.