South Korea: Light-duty: Fuel Economy and GHG

Overview

 * Standard type: Fuel economy standards and GHG emission limits
 * Regulatory bodies: Ministry of the Environment sets CO2 standards; fuel economy standards are implemented by the Korea Energy Management Corporation (KEMCO) on behalf of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE).
 * Current standard: 17 km/L or equivalent 140 gCO2/km phased-in by model year 2015
 * Applicability: Passenger cars and SUVs with 10 seats or fewer and with a GVW of 3.5 tons or less

History
South Korea (the Republic of Korea) is the fifth-largest automobile manufacturer in the world and the eighth-largest emitter of CO2. The Korean transportation sector produces 17 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

South Korea announced its first mandatory fuel economy standards in 2005. The Average Fuel Economy (AFE) program set fuel economy targets of 12.4 km/l for vehicles with an engine displacement of 1500cc or less, and 9.6 km/l for vehicles with an engine displacement of over 1500cc. Automakers were required to comply with the targets by 2006 for domestic vehicles and 2009 for imported vehicles.

In 2009, South Korea announced the Five-Year Plan for Green Growth, which requires that 100 percent of the country’s automobiles meet a fuel economy/GHG emission target of 17 km/L or 140 gCO2/km equivalent by model year 2015. The legislation will be phased in over a four-year period from 2012-2015. By the end of 2012, 30 percent of cars sold by automakers must meet the targets; by 2013, 60 percent; by 2014, 80 percent.

The new standards will be weight-based, and will use the US CAFE combined cycle for testing purposes. The proposal includes credits of up to 10 gCO2/km for implementing tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), low rolling-resistance tires, and gear shift indicators. An additional 4 gCO2/km credit will be available for eco-innovations similar to those in Europe.

As of 2010, South Korea’s average GHG emissions for domestic passenger vehicles were 203 g/km (as compared to 211 g/km in 2009); for imported vehicles the average emissions were 262 g/km (275 g/km in 2009).

Regulatory Documents

 * Framework Act on Low Carbon, Green Growth

Additional Resources

 * Ministry of the Environment


 * Ministry of Knowledge Economy


 * Korea Energy Management Corporation


 * United Nations Environment Programme Overview of South Korean Green Growth

References