A new parameter called AIR Index has seen the light of the world these days. It is actually a single letter code on a scale from A to E, which will symbolize the impact of your vehicle on the environment.

It’s something like the one we’re used to in household appliances and their energy consumption. So, you can check how yours or your neighbors’ vehicle affects the atmosphere on the official AIR Index website.

AIR Index is an independent measurement

It is a simplified scale created by the participation of the European Automobile Association, drivers and transport companies. It is a completely independent measurement, unrelated to any vehicle manufacturers.

AIR Index is an indicator of the real-life environmental burden, calculated in relation to the real-life consumption of vehicles, thus pointing to actual harmful emissions, mainly nitrogen oxides.

Not just for new, also for used cars

So, before buying a car or just now, whether new or used, it’s quite easy to check out the environmental footprint of a particular model. Go on, what are you waiting for?

Some results might surprise you

The results of the six vehicles tested by AIR, on display at the launch event and rated in the AIR Index are:

Inspired by NCAP

The main purpose of AIR, a non-profit organization with a goal to improve air quality, is to provide comparable on-road vehicle emissions data.

Their role model is NCAP, an independent vehicle-safety rating system, which became the industry standard for vehicle safety in the EU and around the world. In short, what NCAP is to safety, AIR Index could be to emissions.

Image credit: AIR Index