Despite requests from the European Commission that the entry into force of the new cycle for measuring WLTP polluting emissions does not result in higher taxes, associations in the automobile sector fear that things will not go exactly like that.
On the contrary, and as acknowledged by the secretary general of the Automobile Association of Portugal (ACAP), companies do fear the possibility of a double increase in the price of new cars, in just a few months — first, in September, with cars already certified by the WLTP, but with the emission values converted to NEDC — called NEDC2 — and then, in January, with the definitive establishment of the WLTP emission values.
“This year we have NEDC2, or the so-called 'correlated', which will cause an average increase in CO2 emissions of around 10%. Then, in January, the entry of the WLTP will bring another increase”, says Hélder Pedro, in statements published in the Diário de Notícias.
Adding that the Portuguese tax system “is fundamentally based on CO2 emissions and is very progressive”, Hélder Pedro emphasizes that “any increase of 10% or 15% in emissions can lead to a very significant increase in the tax payable”.
According to the same person responsible, the increase in the price of vehicles, as a result of the entry into force of the new emissions table, could happen through an increase in the tax payable, in the order of "40% or 50%", in particular, in the higher segments.
"Cars should increase on average between two thousand and three thousand euros"
The concern with this possibility is, moreover, very present in the words of the Communication director at Nissan, António Pereira-Joaquim, who, also in statements to the DN, assumes that “this situation is worrying because between September and December it will work based on in WLTP homologations converted into NEDC through a formula that results in values much higher than the current ones, the NEDC2”.
As the official also recalls, "the direct application of tax tables will have the immediate impact of a significant increase in car prices, with natural reflexes on sales volume and tax revenues for the State". Since "the average increases in car prices should range between two thousand and three thousand euros just because of the tax".
“Obviously, this is unaffordable, not being beneficial to anyone”, he concludes.
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