Ensuring that it remains difficult to pick the saints from the sinners, the latest additions to the comprehensive EQUA Air Quality (Aq) Index show that Euro 6 vehicles continue to deliver drastically different results when tested in the real world.
Extremely polluting Nissan and Renault diesel cars still on sale, data reveals
Toxic times for diesel
Diesel has had something of a rough time of it over the past 18 months. It started with the Volkswagen ‘Dieselgate’ scandal that broke in September 2015, while more recently there have been concerns over nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and air quality in general, especially in city centres.
According to Nick Molden, CEO and founder of Emissions Analytics – a company that tests car emissions in the real world – some meet and can even beat the limits prescribed by the Euro6 emissions regulations, while others, according to Emissions Analytics’ data, emit 20 times the NOx that they should.
EQUA Air Quality Index – Release
EQUA Air Quality Index – General QA
EQUA Air Quality Index – Technical QA
New EQUA Index reveals true pollutant emissions for car buyers
Daily Mail: Cars to get simple ‘eco ratings’ like fridges and washing machines to tackle diesel fears and pollution-linked deaths
On 29 March 2017, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that he would be introducing a system based on the EQUA Index data, to allow motorists to choose the least polluting vehicles.
Read the full account by Daily Mail motoring correspondent Ray Massey.
Emissions Analytics to power Clean Vehicle Checker for London and Paris
In a drive to improve urban air quality, the cities of London and Paris will launch an on-road emissions scoring tool for residents, using Emissions Analytics’ data. The partnership was announced at C40 Air’volution in Paris today as Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, set out their joint plan to tackle poor air quality in both cities.
The fuel penalty of 100kg
4x4s come clean in latest EQUA Air Quality NOX ratings
The EQUA Mpg gap increases further in 2016
The Sunday Times: “UK approved Fiat’s ‘dirty diesel’ engine”
In an article dated January 15 2017 by Jonathan Leake, Environment Editor at The Sunday Times, Emissions Analytics’ CEO and founder Nick Molden is quoted as saying: “When a vehicle passes laboratory tests but shows such a different performance on the road you have to be suspicious about the technology.”
This comment was made in response to the news that Fiat Chrysler are being investigated by the US’s Environment Protection Agency and the UK’s Department for Transport due to significantly higher real-world NOx emissions than those emitted during laboratory testing.
The EPA has issued a ‘notice of violation’ to Fiat Chrysler – listing alleged devices including timers which are said to switch off parts of the emission control system after the engine has run for the short time needed to conduct tests -for failure to disclose auxiliary emission-control devices, or AECDs, which is a violation of the Clean Air Act.
Emissions Analytics found that Fiat’s 500X MultiJet with a 1.6-litre diesel engine, emitted 14 times above EU and UK limits. The Fiat Doblo van was even worse, with emission 17.8 times above the legal limit, even though it has passed official tests.
For more data on Fiat, and other vehicles visit the EQUA Index.
Weight costs fuel
2WD vs 4WD
EMIS hearing, 20 June 2016 Questions to Emissions Analytics
Euro 6 on-road testing ICCT technical report 20160929
In 2015, the ICCT commissioned Emissions Analytics, a commercial test house specializing in testing real-world fuel consumption and emissions, to perform on-road testing of Euro 6-regulated gasoline and diesel vehicles. Emissions Analytics tested 7 vehicles between 2015 and 2016 for emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulates.
Can hybrid electric vehicles beat diesels on mpg?
Hybrids have always had a miles-per-gallon advantage in urban driving but new EQUA Index data shows that they are gaining on diesels in motoway or highway driving and, if current trends persist, hybrid electric vehicles (excluding plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) are set to take the lead in 2017.
New testing cycle brings CO2 taxation uncertainty
Industy experts have raised the prospect of fleets paying higher emissions-based tax bills following the introduction of the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), which will replace the existing New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test in September 2017 and is expected to inflate official vehicle CO2 figures due to its stricter rules.
Emissions Analytics says average diesel emissions are still significantly reduced
Vehicle testing firm Emissions Analytics says diesels can be clean and govenments are highly unlikely to give up the fuel just yet.
Fleet News 16 November 2016