'Flawed' green cars guide under review

Updated March 04, 2013 08:50:53

Electric cars score top marks for their environmental impact, but researchers say the Federal Government's vehicle rating system is flawed.

Plans are being made to overhaul the system.

One of the few electric cars on Australian roads has a price tag of more than $50,000 and is driven by Adelaide's Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood.

"It's totally silent, so very peaceful, a relaxing experience, exceptionally reliable," he said.

Electric cars get five stars on the Federal Government's green vehicle guide website, which is based on standardised tests for carbon dioxide and toxic emissions.

Not having an exhaust pipe gives electric cars a big advantage.

Dr Rocco Zito of the University of South Australia said its Transport Systems Centre was working on a better way to rate both electric and petrol cars to consider a wider range of issues, such as the battery of an electric car and its disposal.

"We'll try and encapsulate the total emissions cycle, not just what comes out of the tailpipe," he said.

The research involves industry bodies including motoring organisation, the RAA.

Mark Borlace of the RAA said reforming the cars guide was important.

"Long-term we'd really want to know what the whole cost of energy of that car is over its whole life, that is from where it's made, when it's made, what it's made of, how it's transported here, how it's used here and how it goes back into the recycling process," he said.

The researchers hope their efforts will help cut pollution by giving the makers of petrol and electric vehicles better information on reducing their environmental impact.

The review is expected to take up to two years.

Topics: environmental-impact, environment, environmental-technology, university-and-further-education, research, sa, adelaide-5000, australia

First posted March 04, 2013 08:49:42