10 March, 2020
You might know that Australia's cars are less efficient than other countries, but what you may not realise is that a lot of it has to do with our fuel.
Cars emit pollutant chemicals, known as vehicle emissions, which impact our environment and air quality - and in turn, our health. In fact, air pollution contributes to the death of about 2,500 Australians each year.
However, not all cars are created equal. The amount of emissions that come out of a vehicle depend on how much fuel that car uses, and the quality of fuel put into it.
Is there good and bad fuel?
Fuel contains sulfur, which is a natural component in crude oil and is found in both petrol and diesel fuel. Sulfur irritates the airways, and can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest, as well as burning of the eyes and skin.
Find out more about sulfur in fuel.
When sulfur combines with other compounds in the atmosphere it can form small toxic particles that cluster to create smog. Governments can choose to mandate fuel manufacturers to remove the sulfur from fuel to produce a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly variety - but if it’s not removed, it can result in ‘dirtier’ fuel and higher emissions.
So just how bad is our fuel?
Pretty bad. In fact, Australian fuels are so out of step with international best practice that some newer-model cars overseas could not run on the fuel sold at our pumps.
This is mainly because other governments around the world have implemented stricter fuel standards – which are different to vehicle emission standards - to reduce the amount of air pollution caused by vehicles.
Meanwhile though, Australia has not followed suit and our own fuel standards have lagged.
To put it into context, in Europe, Japan and the United States, the maximum level of sulfur permitted in fuel is 10 parts per million (ppm). In Australia, its 55 ppm for premium unleaded petrol and 150 ppm for regular unleaded petrol - 15 times the international standard.
RAC members want change
A recent survey of our members found nearly two-thirds wanted more to be done by government to reduce vehicle emissions and 27 per cent wanted to see action to improve the quality of fuel available in Australia. So what can you do?
- Support us in calling for better fuel quality standards, sooner. This would regulate the quality of fuels used by vehicles and ensure that Australia is brought into line with international standards. The Government recently committed to reducing the maximum allowable sulfur content in fuel from 150ppm to 10ppm by 2027, however RAC is calling for that date to be brought forward.
- Drive more sustainably. You can help reduce your car’s emissions simply by adopting a few driving habits. Small changes, cumulatively, can add up to a significant improvement in fuel economy. This also has the added benefit of reducing your fuel costs, so it’s a real win-win.
Did you know you can save money and save the environment?
If you drive a car recognised by RAC as having lower emissions, you can get rewards across Insurance, Auto Services and Roadside Assistance.
