New car preferences move away from greater size, weight and power: Impact of Dutch consumer choices on average CO2-emissions

This paper assesses the separate effects of consumer preferences and technological advances on sales-weighted average CO2 emissions of new passenger cars in the Netherlands. Since 2008, consumer preferences have been moving away from large size, weight and power whereby car buyers were offsetting more than 50% of the potential CO2 reduction from technological advances. From 2008 to 2011 consumer choices not only ceased to offset a large share of the technological advances, but contributed more than an additional 30% to CO2 reductions. Had consumer preferences not decoupled from the historical upward trend, the Dutch sales-weighted average CO2 emissions of new passenger cars would have been 139 g/km rather than the 126 grams CO2 per km in 2011.

► In the Netherlands, new car consumer buying preferences move away from greater size, weight and power. ► Consumer choices no longer offset CO2-reduction from technological advances. ► Decoupled consumer buying preferences result in 13 g/km (10%) lower CO2 emissions in 2011. ► Annual CO2 reduction from technological advances has more than doubled since 2008.