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Diesel cars worse for the climate than petrol cars

A new study by European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), a Brussels-based NGO, shows that on a lifecycle analysis of vehicle emissions, diesel cars over its lifetime emit 3.65 tonnes more carbon dioxide (CO2) than a petrol equivalent. More energy-intensive refining of the diesel fuel and more materials required in the production of heavier and more complex engines are two of the contributing causes to the higher climate impact of diesel cars.

The rapid growth of biofuels in Sweden in recent years is mainly attributed to the increased use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) diesel, a renewable diesel made from different bio-based raw materials. Sweden has also an extensive use of rapeseed-derived biodiesel (RME).
A new study by NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) suggests that on a lifecycle basis, a diesel passenger car emits up 3.65 tonnes more CO2 than a petrol alternative.

According to T&E, its “Diesel The true (dirty) story” study “debunks” automakers’ claim that diesel cars are needed to meet their climate targets. In Europe, the passenger car market is skewed in favour of diesel through biased regulations and unfair taxes. Since diesel is not better for the climate than petrol there is no justification for its preferential treatment.

Dieselgate already exposed diesel cars to be the dominant cause of toxic nitrogen dioxide across European cities that is killing 68 000 Europeans annually. Contrary to industry claims, we have learned diesel cars are also worse for the climate than petrol versions and are not needed to meet car CO2 targets. Europe must now look forward and accelerate the transition to clean, electrified vehicles and consign dirty diesels to museums, said Julia Poliscanova, Clean Vehicles Manager and Lead Author of the study.

Whereas the diesel share in Europe is around 50 percent, it is a niche product in the rest of the world. Europe buys 7 out of 10 diesel cars and vans sold globally while less than 1 percent of new vehicles sold in the US are diesel and in China, the world’s largest vehicle market, diesel represents less than 2 percent.

The study finds three causes for Europe’s addiction to diesel:

  • Distorted national fuel and vehicle taxes. Diesel fuel is taxed between 10 percent and 40 percent less than petrol in most countries. This “diesel bonus” has cost national budgets almost EUR 32 billion in lost tax revenue in 2016 alone
  • Unfair EU Euro emission standards that for decades allowed diesel cars to emit more NOx than petrol. This has been exacerbated by the use of obsolete tests (recently updated) and ineffective regulatory oversight that has allowed carmakers to fit cheap, ineffective exhaust controls that they turn down or off most of the time
  • Biased CO2 regulations that set weaker targets for carmakers producing bigger and heavier diesel vehicles

According to T&E, there are over 37 million “illegally dirty cars and vans” driving across Europe and the industry response is a series of incoherent software fixes in some countries without a consistent clean-up programme for customers in all 28 EU countries. Around 68 000 people die prematurely in Europe every year as a result of diesel vehicle emissions.

The legacy of Dieselgate are the 37 million grossly polluting diesel cars still on Europe’s roads. While some of them will be taken off German roads, these dirty cars will soon end up in Central and Eastern Europe choking citizens there. We need concerted and coordinated action EU-wide to ensure these cars stop belching toxic fumes for another 10-15 years. It is time for the carmakers to take responsibility for their cleanup and cash out for the local measures to tackle the urban air pollution crisis they have largely caused. National vehicle regulators must ensure this happens or the European Commission step in and sort out the mess, said Poliscanova .

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