These ULEZ-exempt cars make no sense
Car changing is a big deal
The London Ultra-Low Emission Zone charges drivers of non-compliant vehicles £12 per day to drive into the capital, but news editor Jamie Edkins reckons that the criteria for exemption doesn’t really make sense.
I recently bought a 2004 BMW Z4, and before taking it to the Carwow office in London I just wanted to double check that it was ULEZ-compliant.
The London Ultra-Low Emissions Zone covers everything inside the M25 motorway, and if your car isn’t compliant then you’ll have to pay £12 to enter. Petrol cars which meet Euro 4 emissions standards are exempt, which is any car made after 2005. If you have a diesel car, it has to be Euro 6-compliant, which is any car made after 2015.
So I put my registration number into the ULEZ checker, and I got this message:
“This vehicle meets the ULEZ emissions standards. You do not need to pay a daily ULEZ charge to drive in the zone, and are helping to improve air quality across London.”
That last part made me chuckle. My car has a 2.5-litre straight-six engine which emits 216g/km of CO2. By comparison, my parents have a 2015 Skoda Octavia which puts out 119g/km of CO2, but because it’s a diesel they have to pay the charge.
The ULEZ is much tougher on diesel cars because they emit more particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide than petrol cars, but this still got me thinking about what other cars you can happily drive into London without paying the £12 fee. Here are the five best examples I found.
1. Vauxhall VXR8
The VXR8 was Vauxhall’s answer to cars like the BMW M3 and Audi RS4 in the mid 2000s, and it started out life in Australia as a Holden. It is my guilty pleasure car, because it’s just daft in the best possible way.
Under the bonnet is a 6.2-litre V8 engine with over 400hp, and uses that to create a lot of noise and tyre smoke. Despite emitting 338g/km of CO2 and returning 20mpg if you’re really gentle, TfL’s ULEZ checker will thank you for driving this loutish muscle car into London and inform you that there’s no charge for it.
2. 2006 Bentley Continental GT W12
Last year, our own Mat Watson bought this Bentley Continental GT for £10,000 to compare it to a new one. It has a 6.0-litre W12 engine under the bonnet with 550hp, and it needs it as well to haul all the wood and leather covering the interior.
It also puts out 410g/km of CO2, so it’s not exactly kind to the environment. But because it’s a petrol car made after 2005 it is ULEZ exempt.
3. Porsche Cayenne S
The Porsche Cayenne is about as far from eco-friendly as you can get. It’s massive, unnecessarily so considering the amount of interior space you get, and very heavy.
The S version from 2003 has a 4.5-litre V8 engine under the bonnet which sends 340hp to all four wheels. It also sends 361g/km of CO2 out the tailpipe. How’s that for “Ultra-Low Emissions”?
4. Audi RS6 Avant V10
Back in the late 2000s, someone at Audi decided that it would be a great idea to shoehorn the V10 engine from a Lamborghini Gallardo into a family-friendly estate car. What resulted was the RS6 Avant, and it remains one of the craziest cars Audi has ever made.
You may save £12 a day on the ULEZ charge with an RS6, but I still wouldn’t recommend buying one unless you have deep pockets. They are becoming increasingly fragile with age, and that engine is packed so tightly under the bonnet that something as simple as a broken sensor will necessitate its removal.
5. Lamborghini Murcielago
Saving the best for last, we have the Lamborghini Murcielago. Released in the early 2000s, this V12-powered hypercar is still revered as one of the best-looking Lambos of all time. It also makes a fantastic noise.
The fact someone could drive this into London, coughing out almost 500g/km of CO2, without paying the ULEZ charge, but my dad would have to pay up for taking his 2015 estate car in, is so funny to me. It’s also a sign that, in my opinion, TfL may need to re-think how it defines a ULEZ-exempt car.
It makes even less sense when you think about road tax. Cars made before 2017 pay more or less tax per year depending on how clean their emissions are, and the Murcielago will cost you a whopping £760 per year.
On the other hand, a 2014 Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion will cost you £20 per year to tax because it puts out less than 100g/km of CO2 – but it isn’t ULEZ exempt because it’s a diesel. You can see why I’m slightly baffled.
I reckon a simpler system whereby there’s an actual emissions threshold would make far more sense, rather than using the Euro emissions standards which were never designed to be used this way.
So for petrol cars there could be a limit in terms of g/km of CO2, and diesels could take NOx and particulates into account. For now though, you can buy yourself a 6.2-litre V8 saloon to dodge the ULEZ charge.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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