❓ A WA parliamentary question explores government requirements for fuel efficiency information for new car buyers, the impact of transmission types on fuel consumption, and potential incentives for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The government acknowledges existing fuel efficiency labeling and strategies, but avoids committing to registration fee concessions.
AnsweredQoN 3166Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Does the State Government require that new car buyers must be given information on the fuel efficiency of vehicles available for sale in Western Australia and, if yes, what are these requirements?
(2) Are new car buyers given advice from any source about the relative fuel efficiencies of motor vehicles with manual versus automatic transmissions?
(3) Is the Minister aware that General Motors will soon cease to make manual transmissions available in any of the Commodore range of vehicles, Australia’s most popular large car, forcing all buyers to use up to 5% additional fuel when compared with a manual transmission vehicle?
(4) Does the Greenhouse Strategy or the Sustainability Strategy address what Government can do on the issue of the fuel efficiencies of motor vehicles, especially in terms of transmission type?
(5) Would the Government consider giving registration fee concessions for more fuel efficient motor vehicles, including vehicles with manual transmissions?
(6) If not, why not?
(2) Are new car buyers given advice from any source about the relative fuel efficiencies of motor vehicles with manual versus automatic transmissions?
(3) Is the Minister aware that General Motors will soon cease to make manual transmissions available in any of the Commodore range of vehicles, Australia’s most popular large car, forcing all buyers to use up to 5% additional fuel when compared with a manual transmission vehicle?
(4) Does the Greenhouse Strategy or the Sustainability Strategy address what Government can do on the issue of the fuel efficiencies of motor vehicles, especially in terms of transmission type?
(5) Would the Government consider giving registration fee concessions for more fuel efficient motor vehicles, including vehicles with manual transmissions?
(6) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 November 2004
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
100 days
As from 1 January 2004 the coverage of this requirement was extended in ADR 81/01 to cover light commercials under 3.5 tonnes, all fuel types and for the label to also include a carbon dioxide emissions value, an indicator of greenhouse gas emissions. 2. The label described in the previous answer provides this advice. 3. I am advised that General Motors has made a commercial decision not to include manual transmissions as an option for its base range of vehicles. However it is understood that manual transmissions will still be available for other Commodore models. 4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
2. The label described in the previous answer provides this advice. 3. I am advised that General Motors has made a commercial decision not to include manual transmissions as an option for its base range of vehicles. However it is understood that manual transmissions will still be available for other Commodore models. 4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
3. I am advised that General Motors has made a commercial decision not to include manual transmissions as an option for its base range of vehicles. However it is understood that manual transmissions will still be available for other Commodore models. 4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
2. The label described in the previous answer provides this advice. 3. I am advised that General Motors has made a commercial decision not to include manual transmissions as an option for its base range of vehicles. However it is understood that manual transmissions will still be available for other Commodore models. 4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
3. I am advised that General Motors has made a commercial decision not to include manual transmissions as an option for its base range of vehicles. However it is understood that manual transmissions will still be available for other Commodore models. 4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
4. The Western Australian Greenhouse Strategy includes provisions to adopt a revised government vehicle fleet environmental policy to increase the use of 4 cylinder vehicles and significantly reduce fuel consumption (and CO 2 emissions) per km, provide a greenhouse emissions offset option, and to continue the use of LPG powered vehicles where appropriate. Government currently subsidises the conversion of private petrol vehicles to LPG. Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
Transmission types have not been included in these strategies. The difference in performance between manual and automatic transmissions is closing rapidly due to advancements in both engine and transmission design coupled with the advantages of electronic control systems. In some cases automatic transmissions now provide better fuel consumption than manuals in highway drive cycles. 5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
5. and 6. The issue of providing registration fee concessions is a complex issue that government will consider in the consideration of overall Greenhouse and Sustainability Strategies.
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