Ecoscore

Purchase guide

Given the wide choice of vehicles in the market, finding the most environmentally friendly vehicle can be challenging to meet your needs. Many factors can affect fuel consumption, such as the vehicle's weight or the technology and, therefore, the environmental impacts of a car or van. In that context, the ecoscore can be used to compare different vehicles [LD1] and choose an environmentally friendly vehicle. However, the ideal choice is not necessarily an individual transport mode and more eco-friendly alternatives exist.

STOP principle

Many trips are short and could be done biking or walking, especially in urban areas. In that context, the STOP (Stappers: walkers, Trappers: bikers, Openbaar Vervoer: public transport and Privaat Vervoer: private transport) principle is at the centre of the organisation of mobility.

It gives a hierarchical state of the different transport modes to include in the mobility plan, as follows: walking, biking and other micro-mobility transports (i.e., scooters and skateboards), public transport, collective private transport and individual private transport. The transport system and logistic updates should be aligned with this rule. It means that individual vehicles are no longer at the centre of the decisions towards mobility. Prioritising alternative transports to individual vehicles also falls within the objectives of reducing the impact on health and the environment and improving air quality.

However, the mobility offer does not sometimes meet the need, especially for longer trips and drivers may have no other better choice than using their individual vehicles. Besides using ecoscore as a tool to decide which car to purchase, carpooling can be an alternative to reduce the environmental impacts and the cost of the trip.

TCO tools of the Flemish Region

Besides ecoscore, the Flemish region has developed another tool to guide decisions, including economic parameters. This tool is based on the Total Cost of Ownership methodology. It estimates the overall cost of using and owning the car involved for some specific models of cars and vans. The TCO method calculates both direct and indirect costs of the product. It includes the running and maintenance cost of the cars or taxes. It applies to newly registered cars in Flanders. The website displays both the ecoscore and the TCO to have a complete comparison. It is accessible here: https://www.milieuvriendelijkevoertuigen.be/sites/default/files/tco-tool

What type of vehicle's fuel is the most suitable for you?

If you need to purchase a car, the expected use of the vehicle help to determine the ideal vehicle technology. It can include parameters such as the kind of trips you will mainly do or the size of the car you need. The statements below should support the decision for the suitable fuel type. It is based on trip parameters.

What kind of trips are you mainly doing a year?

I never drive more than 100km a day
- Could it be done by public transport/ alternative mobility (i.e., biking or walking)? In terms of environmental impacts, it is better to prioritize public transport whenever possible. In the Brussels Region, companies have to provide a mobility plan that can include financial support for public transport.
- In this case, electric vehicles provide a suitable and sustainable alternative. It is ideal under urban driving conditions with no exhaust emissions. New electric vehicles have an autonomy between 250 and 400km, which mitigates the "range-anxiety" that could hinder the adoption of such vehicles.
- If the capital price for EV is too high, petrol cars can be a cheaper alternative suitable for such conditions, especially for urban driving conditions, however more polluting. Using the TCO to compare the life-time cost of both EV and equivalent petrol models could be relevant to guide your decision. It is also worth mentioning that if you happen to drive a lot in low-emissions zones, it is important to consider the current and future regulations.
I mainly drive under 50km a day, but I occasionally want to be able to drive more than 100km
- With the rise in autonomy, ranging from about 250 to 400km and reaching over 600km for some large range models, EV could be still a good alternative in that case, if the long-distance trip can be anticipated.
- PHEV can be a suitable solution if the charging infrastructure or the driving range is still a limitation. It reduces fuel consumption compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle and emits less. The autonomy under full electric mode is usually about 50km which corresponds approximately to the urban driving range. The additional fuel tank increases the autonomy of conventional ICE vehicles from 500 to 1000km.
I mostly make long trips: (above 100 km a day)
- Capital costs of PHEV or EV are too high or do not match the trips' need (location, range anxiety, etc.):
  - I am a lot in congested traffic: HEV that cannot be plugged in to be charged could be a cheaper alternative to purchase. It still emits less than the equivalent ICE vehicle thanks to regenerative braking. It is therefore ideal when the traffic is congested.
  - I am doing long trips in motorway and HEV purchase costs are still too high: Alternatives with gaseous fuel vehicle can be possible, such as CNG vehicles. It limits fuel cost and performs slightly better on the Ecoscore than petrol or gasoline cars.
- I am doing long trips mainly in motorway and alternatives are not suitable (lack of refuelling stations, costs etc): diesel cars could be considered if the road is mainly composed of highways which suits best for diesel cars. It consumes also less than an equivalent petrol car and emits less CO2. However, they tends to have a higher impact on air quality than other fuels-type cars.

Besides the type of fuel, other parameters are to be taken into account such as the size of the vehicle depending on the purpose of the vehicle (family car, city trip, ability to transport bikes…) or the charging/refuelling infrastructure in your area.