§ Mr. Roger Kingasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the estimated cost to the consumer of full implementation of the European Economic Community requirement on car exhaust emission of (i) a 1.6 litre car and (ii) a 2.5 litre car, including purchase price and running cost.
§ Mr. Butcher[pursuant to his reply, 15 July, c. 6.]: The newly agreed Community standard for medium size cars cannot be implemented before October 1991 (new type approvals) and October 1993 (new registrations). It is not yet possible to calculate the cost of implementation with any degree of assurance. Whilst it is hoped that lean burn engines now under development, fitted with an efficient oxidation catalyst, will be able to meet the standard by 1991 it may be necessary to resort to three-way catalyst technology in some cases. Costs on the lean burn route depend on the ignition, fuelling and other equipment 206W used to meet the emission limits without compromising performance and fuel consumption, but would be lower (if that technology can reach the standard in time) than the less efficient catalyser system.
The newly agreed Community standard for large cars, will, for the foreseeable future, require the use of the three-way catalyst system as already developed for the US market. This would add about £500 to the pre-tax purchase price of a 2.5 litre car, and reduce its fuel economy by around 10 per cent.
The Government do not intend to impose standards on vehicles sold or used in the United Kingdom which would not be cost-effective, or would have the effect of requiring manufacturers to use three-way catalyst technology rather than more cost-effective systems.