A NEW dealer survey from Manheim has highlighted a surprising lack of awareness about the new Real Driving Emissions (RDE) tests that come into force this weekend.
When asked to rate their grasp of RDE, 21 per cent rated their understanding as poor, and one in ten dealers said they had never heard of it. Just seven per cent of respondents said they had a good understanding of the new tests.
From September 1, all new vehicles must go through an RDE test to measure how closely their emissions in a real-world driving scenario match results recorded in a laboratory.
The new measures represent the next phase of tougher emissions-testing legislation that began with the introduction of WLTP last September.
Philip Nothard, customer insight and strategy director at Manheim, said: ‘When WLTP came into effect, it significantly reduced new car availability, and also created longer-term tax uncertainty, so it’s surprising to hear that one in three dealers has little or no knowledge of RDE.
‘It’s clear that some dealers do not feel well informed about automotive policy, and the addition of another acronym has simply muddied the waters even more. The question is, if dealers are unclear on RDE, how are consumers expected to understand it?’
The survey also asked dealers about the potential impact of the new tests, with 63 per cent of respondents confirming that they expect to see some impact on new car supply. While 44 per cent of respondents believe there will be a slight impact, 19 per cent feel that the new legislation will heavily affect used car supply.
Nothard said: ‘We believe that OEMs are more prepared for the new tests this time around, but the results of our dealer survey suggest that there will be some impact on new car supply.’
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