Summary

The Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (UVEK) updated the baseline data for the energy label for passenger cars on July 7, 2026. The average CO2 emissions from new cars will drop to 102 g CO2/km (WLTP) in 2027, compared to 111 g CO2/km in 2026. The annual review is required by the Energy Efficiency Ordinance (EnEV). The energy label classifies vehicles into seven categories (A to G) and has been affixed to every new car offered for sale since March 2003.

Persons

  • UVEK (Swiss Federal Office; Data responsibility)

Topics

  • Energy efficiency mobility
  • CO2 emission regulations
  • Electric mobility Switzerland
  • Consumer labeling

Clarus Lead

The declining average values signal an accelerated structural transformation in the Swiss automotive market: The main reason for the reduction is the increasing share of electric cars among new registrations. This demonstrates that regulatory targets are achieving tangible results in decarbonizing the transport sector. However, for consumers and manufacturers, the classification becomes more restrictive – only the most efficient models now land in category A, which intensifies pressure on traditional powertrains.

Detailed Summary

The energy label has served as an orientation guide for passenger car buyers for over two decades. In addition to the seven-tier efficiency scale (A = energy efficient, G = inefficient), it provides specific information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The label enables energy- and environmentally conscious car purchases through transparent comparability.

The update logic follows a scientific approach: UVEK not only reviews average values annually, but also adjusts calculation factors for primary energy-gasoline equivalents and pre-process emissions. These are adapted to new scientific and technical findings as well as international developments. Since January 2023, category limits have been determined based on the EU target value for CO2 emission regulations. The target value for new passenger cars was lowered on January 1, 2025 and has not been changed since. This arrangement ensures that the majority of vehicles retain their category classification in 2027 – only the top efficiency models benefit from the reassessment.

Key Points

  • CO2 average drops from 111 g/km (2026) to 102 g/km (2027) – a decline of approximately 8 percent
  • Electric cars are the main driver of emissions reduction in new registrations
  • Category A becomes more exclusive; majority of vehicles retain their efficiency class

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: Are WLTP measurements based on real driving conditions or standardized test cycles, and how large is the deviation from actual consumption values?

  2. Methodological Transparency: By what criteria are "new scientific and technical findings" selected that lead to adjustments in calculation factors?

  3. Market Incentives: To what extent does the more restrictive category A classification create incentives for manufacturers to actually develop more efficient vehicles, or merely to shift categorization?

  4. Electric Car Dependency: How sustainable is an emissions reduction that primarily depends on the share of electric cars if that share stagnates or declines?

  5. International Harmonization: Do Swiss category limits differ from EU standards, and could this lead to market segmentation?

  6. Consumer Communication: How will consumers be informed about the 2027 reassessment to ensure comparability with older labels?

Bibliography

Primary Source: Swiss Federal Government – Switzerland-EU Package (Bilateral III), Energy Label for Passenger Cars Updated – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/jiKlsOB3Uakc

Supplementary Resources:

Verification Status: ✓ 07.07.2026

This text was created with the assistance of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 07.07.2026