20 April 2018

JATO highlights seismic industry impact of WLTP CO2 testing as emissions soar

The impact of the introduction of the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) on vehicle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and MPG data is having a seismic impact on the motor industry with higher purchase and ownership taxes for end users in some cases, it is claimed.

WLTP replaces the long-established New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) vehicle testing procedure, but for the next two years under a transitional phase vehicles are being tested under WLTP rules and then converted back to an NEDC figure using computer modelling.

Vehicle data provider JATO says its research reveals that the new NEDC declared values - either calculated via Co2mpas, the model developed to convert WLTP CO2 measurements to an NEDC equivalent, or via double testing for new engine calibrations, which have been re-homologated using the WLTP test cycle - were higher than under the previous NEDC test cycle.

To assist the automotive industry to manage the transition to WLTP, JATO is providing customers with reports which show the changes in CO2, between NEDC correlated and NEDC tested values.

The reports include all vehicles which are WLTP homologated and says it will enable the industry to gain a "truly global picture" of all automotive brands and European markets.

It will enable vehicle manufacturers and leasing service providers to get a clearer picture of the landscape and the impact, per market, that the NEDC correlated figures are likely to have and anticipate a CO2 variance, according to JATO.

Most significantly, the reports, it is claimed, will enable users to predict how CO2 values could change in markets across Europe, by comparing them with markets where data has already been released. NEDC correlated values are updated daily and custom dashboards can be created to suit client needs.

Ahead of the introduction of WLTP for all new car registrations from September 2018 - new models have been tested under WLTP protocols since September last year - JATO is developing and testing a WLTP global data solution that it says will enable the automotive industry to access WLTP data via one single solution, and with a standard data format access point.

The JATO WLTP service release is targeted by end of July 2018, covering in the first release 92% of the current volume registered in Europe. The solution, it is claimed will provide easy access to data, as well as customisable, tailor-made dashboards providing access to the WLTP emission and fuel consumption values of each vehicle build and, if needed, also the local market tax associated with a specific emission level and vehicle configuration.

A JATO spokesman said: "WLTP is a seismic change in the automotive industry. We have observed that NEDC correlated CO2 figures are higher than previous NEDC tested values, and the disparity could be greater than the industry expected.

"Furthermore, our initial findings suggest that the NEDC correlated values are resulting in higher purchase and ownership taxes for the end user in some cases. This is something the industry needs to be aware of as the competitive landscape is changing.

"The new NEDC correlated figures are already available in the JATO specification and price database we provide to our customers, but the reports that we have developed and made available to clients provide insight on exactly which vehicles have shown higher CO2 values, the variance in CO2 emission versus the NEDC tested CO2, changes in engine technology and power output, and also where this will impact purchase and ownership costs across Europe."