The European Parliament's Environment Committee has voted to adopt proposals to set an indicative 2025 target of CO2 emissions from new cars of 68-75g CO2/km, or 106mpg.

Conventionally powered petrol and diesel cars will remain with us until at least 2030 and short to medium-term carbon emissions reductions from the road transport sector will depend mainly on improving their performance. 

A leading ‘think-tank’ says that the market for ultra-low emission vehicles presents an ‘unmissable window of opportunity for the British automotive industry’. 

The London Congestion Charge emissions exemption limit is being lowered to 75g/km CO2, meaning that only plug-in cars will qualify for exemption, and sub-100g/km petrol and diesel cars will have to pay to enter central London.

The all-new Range Rover Sport has a weight saving of up to 420kg, fuel consumption cut by up to 24 percent, and a hybrid model will be arriving with emissions of just 169g/km CO2.

The all-new MINI Paceman is available with two diesel and two petrol engines, offering up to 64.2mpg fuel economy and 115g/km emissions.

A report issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the SMMT New Car CO₂ Report 2013, shows that 2012 new car emissions improved 3.6% year-on-year to 133.1g/km CO₂ (equivalent to 53.4mpg), down more than 26% since the year 2000.

Changes in future CO2 thresholds could have a big impact on UK car sales, and fleet sales in particular, according to Nick Andrews, head of fleet at Mercedes-Benz in the UK.

The development of the Ricardo Vehicle Emissions Research Centre (VERC) has been selected for part-funding under the £1.05 billion third round of the UK Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

The European Commission has announced proposals to implement targets that will cut average emissions from new cars from their current level to 95g/km CO2 in 2020.