Charts

Countries with Lowest Average CO2 Emissions per km from New Passenger Cars (2022)

Source: Eurostat

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Definition: Approximately 2.3 kilograms of CO2 is produced when 1 liter of gasoline/petrol is burned as fuel. Based on vehicle fuel efficiency, the average CO2 emissions per kilometer are estimated. The chart above presents the top ten countries with the lowest average CO2 emissions per kilometer from new passenger cars for the year 2022.

Targets and Trends Around the World

Europe: The average CO2 emissions per kilometer for the European Union stood at 110 grams for the same year. To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, Regulation (EU) 2019/631 set an EU fleet-wide target of 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer (expressed as NEDC) for passenger cars from 2020 to 2024. From 2025 onwards, Regulation (EU) 2019/631 sets stricter EU-wide fleet targets: 93.6 grams per kilometer from 2025 (15% reduction compared to the 2021 baseline), 49.5 grams per kilometer from 2030 (55% reduction), and 0 grams per kilometer from 2035 (100% reduction).

India: The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has set a target of 113 grams per kilometer. However, as of March 31, 2023, passenger vehicle makers have failed to achieve this target but have made significant progress, reducing the score from 130 grams per kilometer to 116 grams per kilometer, as per ET.

United States: For the year 2022, the SAFE standards for passenger cars stood at 112.5 grams per kilometer (181 grams per mile). In December 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new greenhouse gas emission standards for new passenger cars and light-duty trucks. The final rule requires automakers to reach a projected target for passenger cars of 82 grams per kilometer (132 grams per mile) in 2026. This target increases in stringency by 8.3 percent from model years 2022 to 2023, 4.8 percent in model year 2024, 5.7 percent in model year 2025, and 11.4 percent in model year 2026.