Archer's aims for LowCVP

In the first of two exclusive articles, he spoke to MindsinMotion.net about the organisation's aims, successes, and his own role in the sustainable mobility agenda.

Philosophy of LowCVP

LowCVP was founded in the wake of the British Government’s 2002 transport strategy, Powering Future Vehicles, which outlined official targets and policies for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the UK’s road transport sector.

The principle behind LowCVP is to work as an action and advisory group, promoting and facilitating the shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels in the UK, and helping to ensure that British businesses benefit from the shift.

It develops initiatives that promote the sale and supply of low carbon vehicles and fuels, provides input and advice on government policy, and provides a forum for stakeholders to discuss issues such as new ideas, new technologies, regulatory changes or government proposals.

Archer's involvement

Archer has fronted the partnership for four years, having previously been at the helm of the UK Government’s energy efficiency advice programme. He is also on the boards of the Renewable Fuels Agency and Cenex, an industry-led public-private partnership established as a "Centre of Excellence" for low carbon and fuel cell technologies.

With a degree in environmental chemistry, the environment is something that has always been close to Archer's heart.

"I was originally interested in the relationship between health and the environment. However, I came to realise that the real issues were climate rather than health-related," he explains. "LowCVP aims to accelerate the shift towards low carbon vehicles and fuel as part of the UK’s low carbon transformation – reducing the impact on climate change."

Sighting the targets

Under his stewardship, LowCVP has refined its focus to three main areas. These are as follows:

• Practical initiatives to encourage the adoption of low carbon technologies
• Advising the Government on the most effective incentives, policies and programmes
• Pure research in to low carbon technologies

Car labelling scheme 'encouraging'

One project which Archer is particularly proud of is LowCVP’s energy efficiency car labelling scheme. Under the scheme, which was introduced on a voluntary basis in 2005, car dealers are encouraged to display colour-coded labels on new cars, indicating their energy efficiency and running costs.

"The labelling scheme is a prime example of the way LowCVP has encouraged the market to change," says Archer. "Since it was launched, we have continuously surveyed how many car dealers are complying with the scheme. The figures are encouraging: our most recent survey which shows that 93 per cent of dealers surveyed are labelling their vehicles, up from 74 per cent in 2006. And in terms of manufacturers, we found that 100 per cent of new Lexus vehicles, for example, are now labelled for energy efficiency."

Making a difference

Archer says that LowCVP is delighted with the take-up. The scheme certainly seems to be making a real difference in enabling consumers to make more informed vehicle buying choices. At least they now have the information to make more informed buying decisions. Whether they actually use that information to make more rationale, energy-efficient vehicle choices is another matter – as any 4x4 dealer will readily point out.