With signs of growth returning to the commercial vehicle sector, ACEA - the European Automobile Manufacturers' Assocation - is working with manufacturers to drive down CO2 emissions.
ACEA is linking up with a number of major commercial vehicle builders, including DAF, Daimler Trucks, IVECO, MAN, Scania and Volvo to develop an evaluation tool to calculate real-life CO2 emissions pre-purchase.
The tool is designed to allow customers for trucks and buses establish the most fuel-efficient vehicle for particular journey types, and is a further milestone in the industry's target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020.
ACEA's Commercial Vehicle Board Chairman, Leif Johansson, who is also Volvo's President and CEO, called for globally harmonised emissions legislation relating to commercials that "matches the reality of commercial goods and passenger transport".
CO2 emissions vary significantly depending on load, vehicle size and shape, journey distance, etc. As a result, being able to calculating fuel efficiency and emissions before vehicles become part of the fleet will be an invaluable tool in helping fleet owners to purchase the most emissions-efficient and cost-effective vehicles.
According to ACEA, the commercial vehicle industry has already cut the fuel consumption by more than a third since the 1970s, while pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulates have been reduced by as much as 85% and 95% respectively since the late 1980s.