BETTER PARTSEnvironment Minister: Diesel tighten regulations, promote electric cars
Hair, 14 October 2015
The Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks ( SPD ) for stricter environmental standards for diesel and a promotion for electric cars. This emerges from a position paper by the Minister, quoted from the " Süddeutsche Zeitung " ( SZ ).
" The diesel drive will only have a future if the industry proves that they get it really clean ," Hendricks wrote loud SZ. This requires Europe-wide tests under real conditions, the results are likely to differ only slightly from the limits. Here Hendricks probably thinks the planned RDE measurements ( Real Driving emission ). The cars have to pass still a test procedure on public roads in addition to the measurements on the chassis dynamometer. You have an instrument in the trunk, which analyzes the coming out of the exhaust gases.
Disputed conformity factor
Under the proposal, the measured NOx levels ( the so-called compliance factor ) must be higher than the Euro 6 limit of 80 milligrams per kilometer only by a certain factor. The factor, the amount of which is still under discussion is needed to compensate for the changing and non-reproducible conditions in road transport. The RDE measurements were decided by the competent EU technical committee already in May. An introduction is targeted for a test phase in 2017 ?? simultaneously with the introduction of new WLTP cycle ( Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures) for consumption measurement.
Federal Government is committed to high factor
Following a proposal from the EU Commission, the factor shall be 1.6 ?? that is, in everyday use, the vehicles are expected to emit 60 percent more NOx than allowed by Euro 6, ie 128 grams per kilometer. This is an article in the " Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung " to refer to 12 October. According to the article, the federal government tried but in the interests of the German car industry at a higher factor. An EU decision on the issue is expected on 28 October.
Driving bans at excessively high NOx values
But the proposals of the Minister to go further. So should local authorities may react with driving bans, when the nitrogen oxide concentrations in the air are too high. Cities can already do when the dust levels are too high, in the future it should be possible also for NOx. 2014 NOx limit was exceeded by more than 60 percent of the stations.
Subsidy for electric car buyers
On the topic of electric cars prescht Hendricks ago. It requires a government subsidy for buyers. So far, the federal government has always refused subsidies for electric cars. In the wake of the VW affair this could change now. The subsidy could Hendricks also sell as an industrial promotion, as VW puts increasingly on electrification of the model range, as recently became clear in Group eve of the IAA . ( sl )