We've all heard much about automobile exhaust gases over the past decade. That's especially true since car buyers have become more environmentally conscious. Carbon dioxide or CO2 is one of many that people are concerned with, but just what is a good CO2 level for cars these days?
A CO2 exhaust gas emission level of 100g/km or below is considered low and, therefore, good. However, auto manufacturers are constantly improving their eco-friendliness. What's regarded as a good CO2 level today will likely be too high in the future.
This guide will help you understand what a good CO2 exhaust gas emission level is, and how that fits among other harmful exhaust gases. You’ll also discover how to minimise your car’s emission levels if they get too high.
Let’s get to it!
What Is a Good CO2 Emission Level for a Car?
The lower your car's CO2 emission levels are, the better. By today's standards, a measurement of 100g/km or less is considered low and, therefore, excellent.
You should always remember one thing about cars and their exhaust gases: they get lower as newer models come out. That’s because auto manufacturers and their engineers constantly improve their vehicle’s emission levels, mainly to keep up with ever-changing rules and regulations.
It’s not just governments with their rules and regulations pressuring car makers to lower their CO2 emission levels, either. On top of that, manufacturers are also pressured to improve their models’ eco-friendliness due to evolving customer demands.
Buyers are increasingly expecting cars to be friendlier to the environment. More people are aware of their carbon footprint and reducing it.
As a result, what’s considered a good CO2 emission level for a car today will certainly not be the same in the future. Older cars once regarded as eco-friendly are now among those producing significantly higher CO2 emission levels.
So, it's reasonable to expect a CO2 emission level of 100g/km to be unacceptable someday.
What Are the Harmful Car Exhaust Gases?
CO2 levels are an excellent measure of how friendly a particular vehicle is to the environment. However, if you are genuinely concerned about the harmful gases from car exhausts, you must understand that there are several other exhaust gases from petrol and diesel engines.
Some of the other harmful gases and substances coming out of a car’s exhaust include:
- Carbon monoxide (CO): Another gas that’s often discussed is carbon monoxide. Not only is this gas harmful to the environment, but it’s also toxic to humans. Breathing in a small, concentrated amount can get into your blood and prevent oxygen absorption.
- Total hydrocarbons (THC): Hydrocarbons are a mixture of chemicals like benzene, xylene, and toluene. These chemicals are found in petroleum and therefore come out of the exhaust as a byproduct of the combustion process. Like CO, these hydrocarbons harm the environment and the human body.
- Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): Another group of gases that come out of your tailpipe are nitrogen oxides (NOx). They combine nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Gas levels in emissions are monitored by sensors, but what happens when a NOx sensor fails?
- Particulate matter (PM): Exhaust gases include particulate matter, consisting of liquid and solid particles suspended in the air. As a result, breathing in harmful exhaust gases also includes taking these particulate matters into your body.
As you can see, cars produce many different gases and substances as part of the combustion process. It can be overwhelming just thinking about all these gases, but you can focus on a car’s CO2 exhaust gas emission levels as a starting point.
That way, you can still evaluate a car’s eco-friendliness without being overwhelmed by all the different emission levels a vehicle produces.
How Are Exhaust Gases Measured?
Car exhaust gas percentages and breakdowns are measured using an exhaust gas analyser. These sensors come in various forms but generally use infrared or chemical gas sensors to determine what's coming from a car's exhaust.
As you’d imagine, they place a device at the tailpipe, which reacts to the gases flowing out. The analyser will then show what vehicle exhaust gases are in the outgoing air and the percentages of the different gasses.
What to Do If Your Car Has High Exhaust Emissions
Even if you drive the most eco-friendly combustion engine vehicle available, the engine exhaust emission levels will eventually rise higher than expected. That’s because the vehicle’s age and condition will affect how badly it pollutes the air.
While you can’t improve the car’s exhaust emission levels beyond its best, you can undoubtedly maximise or restore those levels to be as low as they were when the car was brand new.
Here’s what you can do if your car has higher exhaust emissions than it should:
- Maintain and repair: The best thing you can do to lower your exhaust emissions is to keep your car well-maintained and perform all necessary repairs. When your car is in optimal shape, your exhaust emissions will go down.
- Mind your tyres: You should also pay close attention to your tyres and downsize them, if at all possible. Smaller tyres in excellent condition require less energy to turn, reducing the engine’s burden and lowering exhaust emissions.
- Travel light: Drive without any excess weight in the car. Less weight also reduces the burden on your engine, preventing excessive gases from being produced.
- Drive smoothly: Your driving habits also factor into all of this. When you avoid aggressive driving habits, you’ll burn less fuel and therefore reduce your overall emission levels.
- Drive less: This last suggestion is likely people's least favourite one. If you want to reduce your car's exhaust emissions, learn to use it less. Of course, that's not practical for everyone. However, you should consider it if you have access to public transportation. A car produces zero exhaust gases when it's parked and turned off.
It’s a good idea to shop for an eco-friendly vehicle and avoid those known to have high CO2 emission levels, but that’s no excuse to let your existing car pollute unnecessarily. Use CarpartAU’s Directory to find a local workshop to repair and maintain your vehicle for you, keeping it in optimal condition.
By Ray Hasbollah