Car CO2 emissions in Europe: the cleanest and most polluting
The average CO2 emissions of new cars vary enormously across Europe, driven mostly by how many of them are electric. This guide explains where each country stands and why.
A very wide gap
New cars sold in the cleanest country average well under 100 grams of CO2 per kilometre, while the most polluting markets are still well above 100 g/km. The single biggest factor is the share of electric cars, which emit no CO2 at the tailpipe.
The full ranking, cleanest to most polluting, is on our CO2 emissions by country page.
Why Norway leads
Norway has by far the lowest average, because the overwhelming majority of its new cars are fully electric. Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands also sit well below the EU average for the same reason.
Countries where petrol and diesel cars still dominate new sales have much higher averages.
The trend is downward
Across Europe, average new-car CO2 has fallen year after year as electric and hybrid cars take a larger share. The pace varies, but the direction is the same almost everywhere.
See the data
Frequently asked questions
- Which country has the lowest car CO2 emissions?
- Norway, because such a large share of its new cars are electric. See the live ranking for the exact figure.
- What is the average CO2 emission of a new car?
- It varies widely by country, from well under 100 g/km in the cleanest markets to over 100 g/km where petrol and diesel still dominate.