Diesel vehicles may stop being sold
A RUSHED and overly tough change to European emissions tests after the Volkswagen (VW) scandal could make diesel vehicles so expensive that manufacturers stopped selling them, a trade body warned yesterday.
“The automobile industry agrees with the need for emissions to reflect real-world conditions, and has been calling for proposals for years,” the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (Acea) said.
“However, it is important to allow manufacturers to plan and implement the changes, without jeopardising diesel as one of the key pillars for fulfilling future carbon dioxide targets.”
Diesel vehicles have been encouraged in some European markets because they can produce less carbon dioxide –a major greenhouse gas – than petrol vehicles. But they can also produce higher levels of nitrous oxides (NO ), which are harmful to human health.
The European Commission has been adding pressure on car makers to agree to faster, deeper diesel emissions cuts, counting on public anger after VW cheated in US emissions tests.
European government officials met in Brussels last week to try to break a stalemate over plans to introduce measurements of NO emissions rather than rely on easily manipulated lab tests. NO testing is due to begin early next year.
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