The AIR Index: A complete air quality solution
The AIR Index has been developed to provide all of the tools required by key stakeholders to improve urban air quality.
A complete air quality solution
We should be using the cleanest cars and vans available to address the problem of poor air quality and greenhouse gases, but it’s hard to make choices with so many confusing messages about NOx and CO2.
Cities and governments need to create policies which will quickly improve air quality and minimise the impact on road users. The AIR Index has been developed to provide all of the tools required by key stakeholders to improve urban air quality.
What is the AIR Index?
The AIR Index is an international, independent and standardised rating system that reveals accurately how much pollution a vehicle produces when it is used in towns and cities.
It has been created to inform and empower consumers, fleet managers and city policy makers with the real facts about vehicle emissions when making choices about car purchase and usage. A simple A-E colour-coded rating, shows the difference between clean and dirty vehicles.
The AIR Index stands out from other standard tests because car and van makers cannot develop emissions systems just to pass a test. The vehicles must hold up under real world use.
What makes the AIR Index different?
The AIR Index stands out from other standard tests because car and van makers cannot develop emissions systems just to pass a test. The vehicles must hold up under real world use.
The AIR Index offers a comprehensive solution for towns and cities to create fair and robust policy, built on independent NOx and CO2 emissions tests that are the basis for a legal framework.
- A standardised framework for the independent vehicle emissions tests using CWA17379.
- The AIR Index ratings of urban NOx and CO2 emissions for vehicles from A (the best) to E (the worst) in a searchable database.
- A labelling scheme to enable a single, Europe-wide city access for vehicles with one badge.
- A certificate of urban NOx and CO2 performance available for every vehicle rated in the AIR Index.
- A database of vehicles showing the AIR Index ratings and whether vehicles would be allowed access to towns and cities with a NOx limit of 270 mg/km.
- Marketing and communications materials to inform car buyers at point of sale both online and in retail stores.
How is the AIR Index calculated?
At least two different cars and vans of each model, sold and on the road, sourced independently from the vehicle makers is tested. The test is formed of a scientifically robust programme of on-road trips, analysis and finally a score which is grouped into a simple rating from A (the best) to E (the worst).
The difference between the AIR Index and other standards such as Euro 6 and WLTP is that the vehicle makers cannot develop a car or van’s emissions system just to pass a test.
Check your car or van rating using the AIR Index
You can discover the actual emissions produced by your car using the AIR Index checker – it’s free and available now.