Need help choosing a better car for the environment? The Mayor of London might have the answer

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has introduced a new online car checker scheme today (October 17), aiming to help motorists buy brand new cars with the least-polluting engines.

This comes just five days before Khan is to launch a toxicity charge (T-charge) in central London, wanting to restore public confidence following Volkswagen’s ‘dieselgate’ scandal in 2015.

The world’s first Cleaner Vehicle Checker is to provide an independent rating of nearly all ‘Euro 6’ standard cars and several vans being sold in London showrooms. Consumers will type in the details of a new vehicle model to find out how it performs in such independent tests.

Sadiq Khan said: “ We are days away from the start of the new T-Charge in central London and with sales of diesel cars falling, motorists are more aware than ever about the pollution levels of the cars they drive.

“Our toxic air is a shameful health crisis and London motorists deserve to know how much filthy emissions new cars may produce before they purchase them.

“The Cleaner Vehicle Checker will help provide the accurate, independent information Londoners need to make informed choices and opt for [the] cleanest vehicles.”

Pollution levels in London are critical, and the Mayor is hoping this T-charge can make a difference through rating new cars on a scale of A+ (best) to H (worst) on the level of NOx emissions produced on the road.

London businesses and authorities will be able to use a customised service to learn more about the emissions performance of their cars and vans. By providing details online, operators can identify their most polluting vehicles and consider ways to replace these with cleaner options.

Research has revealed that 7.9m Londoners live in areas which exceed the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines. This forms part of the Mayor’s plans to introduce a congestion charge from Monday October 23 in central London.

ICCT revealed that Volkswagen had used so-called ‘defeat devices’ to pass official emissions tests.

Drew Kodjak, ICCT’s executive director, commented: London’s action to publicise the real-world emissions of the vehicles being driven on their streets should inspire other cities as they battle the same urban air quality issues.“

Today’s launch coincides with a roadside testing programme. It is in partnership with the TRUE Initiative, whose members include the FIA Foundation and ICCT, which will monitor emissions from older cars currently driven on London’s roads.

Sheila Watson, deputy director of the FIA Foundation, concluded: “FIA Foundation is delighted to support this vital work to provide Londoners with evidence about the true emissions of the vehicles they drive.

“This information is essential if consumers are to make informed choices and policymakers are to improve the impact of these vehicles on the health of everyone who breathes London’s air.”