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You’d think that after what happened with Volkswagen in the US, those who are supposed to protect us - by making sure we don’t die of cancer in our thirties and that we don’t get lied to in our position as customers - would be a lot more intransigent in their dealings with these corporations.
Well, the truth is the governments don’t really care what you and I think. Either that or the diesel bubble is so inflated that if the cars were to be suddenly tested under real conditions, it would burst immediately, and no vehicle would make it to the streets. Or maybe it’s a bit of both.
So, what exactly happened? When the emissions scandal erupted, there were a lot of organizations calling for stricter, more useful tests to determine a new car’s real tailpipe pollution levels. The public agreed, so the politicians had to pretend they were on board too. Only they weren’t.
The European car makers were a little startled by these proposed changes, so they got down to the negotiation table with the EU. Doors closed, of course. In the end, they came out of there with a totally new plan, one that would considerably ease the pressure put on lowering the nitrous oxides emissions.
This new plan that has just been voted by the European Parliament allows real-world NOx emissions to exceed the allowed limits by up to 110 percent starting September 2017 and up until January 2020, with the margin dropping to 50 percent from then on.
Yes, it’s not just you, this decision really is ridiculous. We do understand that asking too much of the diesel engines over such a short time would have destabilized the industry causing major economic and maybe even social problems in the region. Very well. But why set some standards that you then allow to be exceeded by 110 percent? Why not set the limits to the higher value to begin with?
These changes will have a major impact on the Euro 6 emission standard. Previous to the European Parliament’s ruling, all Euro 6 engines were supposed to emit a maximum of 80mg/km of NOx, whereas now, that value will be increased to 168mg/km. Of course, the only difference is that the initial value was a laboratory reading, while the new one is supposed to mirror closely what’s actually happening on the road.
As outrageous as it may seem, this turn of events isn’t really such a big surprise. After all, Germany is the most influential EU member and also the largest player in the car making business, so all those big names clearly have a saying in the Parliament’s decisions. Some call it lobby, others call it something a little less legal. Whatever it was, it worked.
So, what exactly happened? When the emissions scandal erupted, there were a lot of organizations calling for stricter, more useful tests to determine a new car’s real tailpipe pollution levels. The public agreed, so the politicians had to pretend they were on board too. Only they weren’t.
The European car makers were a little startled by these proposed changes, so they got down to the negotiation table with the EU. Doors closed, of course. In the end, they came out of there with a totally new plan, one that would considerably ease the pressure put on lowering the nitrous oxides emissions.
This new plan that has just been voted by the European Parliament allows real-world NOx emissions to exceed the allowed limits by up to 110 percent starting September 2017 and up until January 2020, with the margin dropping to 50 percent from then on.
Yes, it’s not just you, this decision really is ridiculous. We do understand that asking too much of the diesel engines over such a short time would have destabilized the industry causing major economic and maybe even social problems in the region. Very well. But why set some standards that you then allow to be exceeded by 110 percent? Why not set the limits to the higher value to begin with?
These changes will have a major impact on the Euro 6 emission standard. Previous to the European Parliament’s ruling, all Euro 6 engines were supposed to emit a maximum of 80mg/km of NOx, whereas now, that value will be increased to 168mg/km. Of course, the only difference is that the initial value was a laboratory reading, while the new one is supposed to mirror closely what’s actually happening on the road.
As outrageous as it may seem, this turn of events isn’t really such a big surprise. After all, Germany is the most influential EU member and also the largest player in the car making business, so all those big names clearly have a saying in the Parliament’s decisions. Some call it lobby, others call it something a little less legal. Whatever it was, it worked.
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