The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has prohibited advertisements by BMW and MG, citing their claim that electric cars are “zero-emission cars” as misleading.
BMW had run a paid Google advertisement asserting ‘Zero Emissions Cars – Download Your Brochure Today,’ while MG had similarly used the slogan ‘Zero Emissions’ in a Google advert for its electric vehicles. The ASA objected to both adverts, contending that they provided a “misleading representation of the vehicles’ environmental impact,” reported British magazine Auto Express.
ASA spokesman Toby King stated, “While we accepted this was true when driving, we determined this was misleading as they still produced emissions when manufactured or, depending on electrical source, when charging. We’ve therefore banned these ads and told BMW and MG to ensure they don’t make similar claims without robust evidence in future.”
Interestingly, the ASA’s ban pertains to adverts placed last August, which have since been discontinued. Both car manufacturers have indicated their intention to adhere to the ASA’s judgement “regardless.”
