Chancellor Philip Hammond launched a two-pronged attack on diesel cars to tackle the emissions problem in the U.K. Since the Volkswagen emissions scandal came to light, scientists have found that the excessive levels of NOx being polluted is contributing to premature deaths and exacerbating breathing and heart problems.
Hammond wants to introduce a U.K. version of the Euro 6, called the Real Driving Emissions Step 2 (RDE2), by April 2019. Any diesel vehicles that don’t conform may face increased vehicle excise duty (VED) and benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax.
The new moves have reportedly triggered outrage from diesel motorists who feel they’re being punished for the actions of car companies like Volkswagen. Diesel car companies believe they will get pushed out of urban communities and face an obliteration in sales.
The RDE2 is the second version of real-world emissions testing for cars, following the first one in September that replaced predictable lab tests. This move may have been attributed to Volkswagen’s so-called “defeat devices” that were secretly programmed by engineers to “know” when the vehicle was undergoing the incredibly linear lab emission tests.
The tests, which were always done for the same amount of time and at set temperatures and speeds etc., meant the vehicle could “recognise” when it was being tested so it could emit much lower NOx pollutants and therefore pass the tests.
Outside of test conditions, the vehicles could pollute way more dangerous NOx.
Local authorities may choose to use the RDE2 standard for their clean air zones (CAZ), but certification for the new standard has not yet been produced, so car-makers can’t yet check if their vehicles will pass.
In places like London where there is a lot of pollution, a lot of cars and a lot of people in a small area, air pollution is a huge problem. Londoners are breathing in toxic gases, with Volkswagen cars massively contributing to the air pollution.
Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced levies for old dirty diesel cars entering the capital. London is also set to launch itself as an ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) from April 2019, with Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton also set to introduce their own clean air zone rules around the same time.
The government has identified another 23 local authorities that need cleaner air zones as they look to drive down emission outputs from diesel cars in urban areas.
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