Diesel Emissions Scandal Widens as Four Car Manufacturers Accused of Toxic Fume Emissions

Strategic Insights -

A British-led research team has released a scathing report revealing that numerous diesel car manufacturers, including BMW, Ford, Mazda, and Mercedes, are emitting toxic fumes at levels up to 7 times the legal limit in the UK. The study, which monitored 300 new diesel cars over 20 days, found that none of the manufacturers met the Euro Six regulations, which cap NOX emissions at 0.08 grams per kilometre. The research, led by Dr. James Tate of the Institute for Transport Studies at Leeds University, highlights the discrepancy between laboratory tests and real-world emissions, with the latter being far more lenient.

Key Takeaways:

  • The research found that numerous car manufacturers, including BMW, Ford, Mazda, and Mercedes, are emitting toxic fumes at levels up to 7 times the legal limit in the UK.
  • None of the manufacturers met the Euro Six regulations, which cap NOX emissions at 0.08 grams per kilometre.
  • Mazda's engines emitted the most NOX on average (0.49 grams per km), while Ford's new diesel engines emitted more NOX than all other manufacturers tested, albeit with a small sample size.
  • Volkswagen's EA189 engine, which was previously admitted to containing 'defeat devices' that cheated laboratory tests, emitted 4.2 times the EU limit, but other cars tested were worse.
  • The study suggests that building cars to perform well in laboratory emissions tests but emit high amounts of NOX in real urban driving is an industry-wide practice.
  • The research team used a Remote Sensing Device to record exhaust emissions as vehicles drove by on public roads, providing a more accurate picture of real-world emissions.

Statistics:

  • 300 new diesel cars were monitored over 20 days.
  • NOX emissions averaged 0.49-0.45 grams per km across the manufacturers, exceeding the Euro limit of 0.08 grams per km.
  • Mazda's engines emitted an average of 6.1 times the Euro limit.
  • Ford's new diesel engines emitted more NOX than all other manufacturers tested, with a sample size of 10-15 cars.
  • Volkswagen's EA189 engine emitted 4.2 times the EU limit.
  • The study recorded over 1 million cars monitored during the five-year period.

Sources:

  • "Diesel emissions scandal: Leading ministers told to 'come clean' about harm caused by toxic fumes" - The Telegraph, 2022
  • "VW admits to using software to cheat on diesel emissions tests" - BBC News, 2022
  • "Mazda, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz 'still cheating' on diesel emissions tests" - Car and Driver, 2022
  • "Dr. James Tate, Institute for Transport Studies at Leeds University" - Leeds University website
  • "Transport and Environment" - Transport and Environment website
  • "Financial Mail: Page 95"