So is this the death of diesel?
As backlash grows against ‘dirty’ fuel, we round up all the vital facts
MILLIONS of British motorists could be hit with heavy new taxes and charges on diesel cars as the Government and councils crack down on air pollution that kills up to 40,000 in the UK every year and costs the economy £27.5billion.
Politicians have called for a new ‘scrappage’ scheme to take the oldest, dirtiest diesels off the road. And doctors wrote to Chancellor Philip Hammond ahead of last week’s Budget urging him to reform road tax to deter diesel.
In the capital, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a £10 ‘Toxicity Charge’ for older diesel cars on top of the Congestion Charge from October, and Westminster Council is trialling increased parking fees for diesels from next month.
The Chancellor didn’t introduce the changes in his Budget, but Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has warned motorists to ‘be wary’ of buying diesels. Figures show sales already starting to fall.
Encouraged by the tax system, British car-buyers have flocked to diesel in recent years. Now they’ll be wondering if petrol might be a better long-term bet. Here, we answer some common questions. Why is diesel being demonised? A diesel engine uses about 20 per cent less fuel than an equivalent petrol engine, so emits less carbon dioxide. To try to meet globalwarming targets, the Government promoted diesels. But older diesels also emit more particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can cause respiratory disease. With 37 of the UK’s 43 air-quality zones exceeding emissions limits every year, the High Court has ordered Ministers to cut NOx levels urgently. Are all diesels dirtier? Tough new European rules limit diesels to the same PM emissions as petrol cars, and to 80mg of NOx per kilometre – previously it was 180mg/km. Petrol cars are limited to 60mg/km, so new diesels may still be slightly dirtier. The problem is older diesels, whose emissions may deteriorate as they age. The average UK car is eight years old. Are drivers quitting diesel? In 2000, just a fifth of British drivers chose diesel. By 2015, it was half. But figures for the start of this year show sales down by four per cent, while sales of petrols are up nine per cent. Car auctioneers BCA say higher prices paid for second-hand diesels by cost-conscious used-car buyers have nar- rowed considerably in the past year. Few measures have yet been implemented against diesels, so this shift might have been caused by buyers anticipating a future crackdown, or by the Volkswagen scandal. So, petrol or diesel? It seems likely the Government will act to curb diesel sales. The impact will vary according to the vehicle’s age and efficiency, but it is impossible to predict by how much. If you’re buying a new car, look closely at the latest generation of petrol engines. On average, new cars are 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than they were five years ago, but petrols have made the greatest advances with the clever use of turbocharging and downsizing. Drivers who once chose a 1.6- or 2-litre diesel may now find that a 1.4-litre petrol costs less to buy and run.
Diesels typically cost more to buy, and the tech required to meet European standards has made them more expensive still. A diesel may yet be the best option for large, high-mileage cars: diesel’s lower fuel consumption counts for more in cars that use more fuel, and the extra cost of a diesel engine counts for less in a more expensive car. And a diesel motor still means a large car will keep more of its value. But factor in a likely increase in tax and other costs when doing your sums.