As of 1st September 2015, all new cars sold have needed to comply with Euro 6 standards for exhaust emissions.

For passenger diesel cars, Euro 6 limits the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) a vehicle is allowed to produce to 0.080g/km. This was down from 0.50 in the Euro 3 regulation (introduced in 2000) while before this there were no limits.

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However T&E has found that the vast majority of new diesel cars do not meet the limits. One car, an Audi, was found to emit 22 times the allowed EU limits.

T&E found this was largely due to a growing ‘gap’ between real-world driving emissions and test results. Reasons for this gap including:

  • The test cycle used for determining diesel pollution levels were unrealistic, undemanding and not representative of real-world driving conditions
  • A number of flexibilities and loopholes in the testing protocols to allow manufacturers to game the system
  • A lack of transparency in the testing procedures and
  • Growing pressure on carmakers to game the system as regulated limits on CO2 become increasingly stringent.

Ways of ‘gaming’ the system included removing all optional extras, which would add weight, over- inflating tyres, disconnecting brakes and even using sloping tracks to increase efficiencies.

As a result, T&E said: "Much urban air in Europe is not fit to breathe. The high levels of particles, nitrogen oxides and unburned fuel create a cocktail of harmful pollution. The effects are half a million premature deaths each year; a quarter of a million hospital admissions; and 100m lost working days cumulatively costing over €900bn."

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