Several European countries are now taxing cars and trucks depending on their CO2 emissions. The tax is paid when you register your new car.
If you're driving an electric car, you'll not pay any taxes, but if you're travelling in a M1 Abrams  tank, expect to pay a King's Ransom.
So far, motorcycles have not fallen under this scheme, but that has now changed in Spain. Starting next year, new motorcycles will be taxed when registered:
- Motorcycles that emit less than 80 g/km of CO2 will be exempt from the registration tax.
- Motorcycles that emit between 80 and 100 g/km of CO2 will pay 4.75 percent registration tax.
- Motorcycles that emit between 100 and 120 g/km of CO2 will pay 9.75 percent registration tax.
- Motorcycles that emit over 120 g/km of CO2 or have more than 100hp will pay 14.75 percent registration tax.
Now what does that mean? First, bigger displacement motorcycles and scooters are going to become very expensive, but what's more important, motorcycle manufacturers are finally going to have to come clean (pun intended) with their CO2 emission figures. You'll maybe have noticed that very few manufacturers actually state what their emissions are. Now they going to have too.... and that's a good thing for everyone. What's not good, is that you're going to have to pay a lot more money....
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