The diesel emissions scandal has rumbled on since the Volkswagen revelations emerged last year, but until recently not that many new details have hit the mainstream news.
That’s all changed this week with the publication of the results of a UK enquiry into diesel vehicles. The results of the enquiry are eye-opening – to say the least.
According to a report in The Guardian, the general findings of the government study point to diesel vehicles routinely emitting far more pollution in real-world tests than they do in a laboratory setting. Some of the diesel emissions revealed in the test exceed EU safety standards by as much as 12 times.
37 different diesel cars were tested in the government study. “Not a single car” managed to meet current EU standards, with average diesel emissions five times higher than target limits.
Diesel Emissions and Volkswagen
The information above may lead you to question whether other car manufacturers have been involved in the kind of practices uncovered at Volkswagen last year. In fact, that’s not the case. The Department for Transport has stated that no devices intended to trick the tests were found in any other cars, and that “there have been no laws broken.”
Junior Transport Minister Robert Goodwill has stated that he’s disappointed that “the cars that we are driving on our roads are not as clean as we thought they might be.” Environmentalists will no doubt see this as something of an understatement.
It’s hard to see quite how the motor industry (and government) is going to move forward from here in any practical way. According to targets, by 2020 all diesels sold will have to comply with an 80mg/km diesel emissions limit. That’s all very well, but does little to address the countless diesel vehicles already on the roads pushing out far more pollution that anyone thought.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Volkswagen has reached a settlement deal in a court in California to make amends for their part in the diesel emissions scandal. Full details have yet to emerge, but it’s thought VW will have to pay out Billions in compensation, and offer to buy back nearly half a million vehicles.
And where are the on road test results for petrol engined vehicles also only tested under laboratory conditions.
Who is representing the British and European owners of the affected Volkswagens? Isn’t this a case where the European Union should have a large voice in terms of being able to shake up Volkswagen with a view to them offering a similar deal to that which appears to being offered in the U.S.
Anything to do with the tough standards demanded of the car companies – are they actually achievable? (No I do not work for a car company.)
I recall a research report in the mid-1990s which concluded that petrol cars emitted just as much NOx at 50-60,000Miles as any diesel car of any mileage. Has this report been superceded, scrapped or just forgotten?
Particulate matter also increased for petrol cars. Low sulphur diesel was only starting to become widely available at the time. Of course all electric vehicles pollute – but only at the power station unless nuclear – but that is another can of worms!
Ian Chalmers has hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, no one in the EU is willing to tell the Germans to get it sorted.
This is a sad case of who is willing to tell the Boss the bad news! Why are the Americans entitled to compensation and buy backs but not Europeans?
The same test conducted on petrol engined cars found that they all passed the test and emitted zero particulates. At the moment catalysers on diesels don’t stop the particulates and from what I’ve been reading, they never will. The ‘Blue’ additives help but as the report found, all current diesel engines produce huge amounts of pollution.
At the moment all responsible drivers should switch back to petrol. Drivers of diesel cars now know they are the cause of annual death tolls numbering in the hundreds of thousands. They should be shamed into switching by the government implementing scrappage schemes part funded by vehicle manufacturers. As well as increasing vehicle excise duties and fuel tax on diesel vehicles to end our love affair with diesels.
Lab test results do not agree with real life shock! horror! As a former scientists, this comes as no surprise to me at all. The lab tests were designed purely to allow like-for-like comparisons and not in any way to reflect the conditions on the rod. How could they when conditions vary so much. As an example, when I make the journey from my house to where my boat is moored, I have two routes. The shorter route starts with a climb to 200 metres followed by a series of ascents and descents over a distance of 10 miles. I am lucky if I get 58 miles to the gallon in my VW Passat. Taking the longer 22 mile route, I have near level 4 miles, followed by one climb to 250 metres and a descent to sea level. The last part of the route is on level roads for 10 miles and the consumption for the whole journey is always over 62 mpg and can reach 70 mpg.
This Diesel scam will have a detrimental affect on resale values, VW should be held to account as it is in the good old USA. What’s good for the Goose is good for the gander. What’s the point of being in the EU they should be taking VW to the European court, not sitting on their hands. Are they afraid of upsetting the Germans?
I love my diesel and I am not getting rid of it. I love the low down torque and a much better fuel economy of the same car with a petrol engine. I will always chose a diesel over a petrol engine.
I don’t have a diesel, and avoid them because I am now a low mileage driver (7-8k p.a.) and the problems with DPFs.
lThe choice of petrol cars is reducing – e.g, I would like a medium large estate with a 2 to -2.5 litre engine, but they are becoming more difficult to find. I have had two Honda Accords which were great cars, but have had to go for a C-RV, which is about the only petrol “SUV” and has far less room, and is less convenient for local driving.
I suspect that the automotive industry has “done a number” on us – encouraging us to go diesels with DPFs and these phoney 4WD SUV designs which are more expensive than standard saloons/estates.
And where are the on road test results for petrol engined vehicles also only tested under laboratory conditions.
Who is representing the British and European owners of the affected Volkswagens? Isn’t this a case where the European Union should have a large voice in terms of being able to shake up Volkswagen with a view to them offering a similar deal to that which appears to being offered in the U.S.
Anything to do with the tough standards demanded of the car companies – are they actually achievable? (No I do not work for a car company.)
I recall a research report in the mid-1990s which concluded that petrol cars emitted just as much NOx at 50-60,000Miles as any diesel car of any mileage. Has this report been superceded, scrapped or just forgotten?
Particulate matter also increased for petrol cars. Low sulphur diesel was only starting to become widely available at the time. Of course all electric vehicles pollute – but only at the power station unless nuclear – but that is another can of worms!
Ian Chalmers has hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, no one in the EU is willing to tell the Germans to get it sorted.
This is a sad case of who is willing to tell the Boss the bad news! Why are the Americans entitled to compensation and buy backs but not Europeans?
The same test conducted on petrol engined cars found that they all passed the test and emitted zero particulates. At the moment catalysers on diesels don’t stop the particulates and from what I’ve been reading, they never will. The ‘Blue’ additives help but as the report found, all current diesel engines produce huge amounts of pollution.
At the moment all responsible drivers should switch back to petrol. Drivers of diesel cars now know they are the cause of annual death tolls numbering in the hundreds of thousands. They should be shamed into switching by the government implementing scrappage schemes part funded by vehicle manufacturers. As well as increasing vehicle excise duties and fuel tax on diesel vehicles to end our love affair with diesels.
Lab test results do not agree with real life shock! horror! As a former scientists, this comes as no surprise to me at all. The lab tests were designed purely to allow like-for-like comparisons and not in any way to reflect the conditions on the rod. How could they when conditions vary so much. As an example, when I make the journey from my house to where my boat is moored, I have two routes. The shorter route starts with a climb to 200 metres followed by a series of ascents and descents over a distance of 10 miles. I am lucky if I get 58 miles to the gallon in my VW Passat. Taking the longer 22 mile route, I have near level 4 miles, followed by one climb to 250 metres and a descent to sea level. The last part of the route is on level roads for 10 miles and the consumption for the whole journey is always over 62 mpg and can reach 70 mpg.
This Diesel scam will have a detrimental affect on resale values, VW should be held to account as it is in the good old USA. What’s good for the Goose is good for the gander. What’s the point of being in the EU they should be taking VW to the European court, not sitting on their hands. Are they afraid of upsetting the Germans?
I love my diesel and I am not getting rid of it. I love the low down torque and a much better fuel economy of the same car with a petrol engine. I will always chose a diesel over a petrol engine.
I don’t have a diesel, and avoid them because I am now a low mileage driver (7-8k p.a.) and the problems with DPFs.
lThe choice of petrol cars is reducing – e.g, I would like a medium large estate with a 2 to -2.5 litre engine, but they are becoming more difficult to find. I have had two Honda Accords which were great cars, but have had to go for a C-RV, which is about the only petrol “SUV” and has far less room, and is less convenient for local driving.
I suspect that the automotive industry has “done a number” on us – encouraging us to go diesels with DPFs and these phoney 4WD SUV designs which are more expensive than standard saloons/estates.