New WLTP standards to be introduced tomorrow - and it could cause car tax to increase
NEW WLTP emissions standards will be introduced tomorrow in the UK, which are stricter and accurate, which in theory should provide motorists with more accurate MPG ratings.
Tomorrow the new worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure (WLTP) will be mandatory for all new cars sold in the UK to adhere to.
The new test aims to provide a much more accurate measure of a car’s environmental impact.
The latest laboratory tests (WLTP) replace the old system (NEDC) and are designed to produce figures that are closer to what people will actually achieve in everyday use.
It should provide motorists with more accurate MPG figures and in conjunction with the Real Driving Emissions (RDE), CO2 emissions readings.
However, with the introduction of the new test, drivers could end up paying more car tax for the same vehicle.
This is because the new tests should provide a more accurate CO2 emissions reading for a car, which could see the figure increase.
What this means is a motorist that buys a car after September 1st could pay more for their car tax than they would if they purchased the car before then.
Car tax rates are based on how much CO2 emissions a car emits and drivers will be charged more money based on the amount of CO2 their car produces.
Before the deadline, many manufacturers and dealers have a large stock of cars built and on their forecourts that don’t meet these regulations.
Dealers won’t be able to sell them as new cars after 1st Sept, they must sell them before then, which will mean significant savings being offered on these cars over the summer.
Examples of some deals provided by WhatCar? include £4,147 off a Citroen C4 Spacetourer and £1,160 off a Ford Fiesta (exc. ST and Style).
New car tax rates were introduced in the UK in 2018 for diesel cars.
Diesel cars will have to meet the real-world driving emissions standards, which means that they can emit no more than 120mg of nitrogen oxides per kilometre.
This is problematic due to the fact that it is 1.5-times the current limit of 80mg/km, which means that no new car can currently meet these standards.
Compliance with these emissions standards is not mandatory from manufacturers until 2020.
The changes could see some driver pay up to £500 more to tax their car in the first year than if it was registered before April 1st, 2018.
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Here are new car tax bands as of April 2017 compared to the new rates set to be introduced as of April 2018 for diesel drivers:
1 - 50 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE:£10
FROM APRIL 2018: £25
51 - 75 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £25
FROM APRIL 2018: £100
76 - 90 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £100
FROM APRIL 2018: £120
91 - 100 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £120
FROM APRIL 2018: £140
101 - 110 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £140
FROM APRIL 2018: £160
111 - 130 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £160
FROM APRIL 2018: £200
131 - 150 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £200
FROM APRIL 2018: £500
151 - 170 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE:£500
FROM APRIL 2018: £800
171 - 190 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £800
FROM APRIL 2018: £1,200
191 - 225 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £1,200
FROM APRIL 2018:£1,700
226 - 255 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £1,700
FROM 2018:£2,000
Over 255 g/km CO2
CURRENT RATE: £2,000