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BackAs already described in an AK Study, data provided by manufacturers on NOx emissions and fuel consumption, both of which are measured under laboratory conditions, strongly deviate from the reality on the road – to the detriment of the environment and consumers.
Strong deviation from test results shall curbed step by step
As early as last year, the AK informed about initial reactions of the European Parliament (EP) following the VW scandal. The Commission subsequently proposed to oblige car manufacturers to carry out road tests for all new vehicle types from September 2017 and for all newly registered vehicles from 2019. According to the Commission, due to the resistance of the automotive industry and major EU Member States, one agreed that all car manufacturers had to “reduce” this difference resp. the so-called “conformity factor” to 2.1 (110%) by 2017. In a second step, the difference shall be “reduced” to 1.5 (50%), “taking account of technical margins of error“. The deadline for this is January 2020, for new vehicles 2021. However, a factor of 2.1 would mean that the emission values would be allowed to exceed 2.1 times the limit value, then, in the second phase still 1.5 times!
Questionable are not only the generous exceedance limits, but also the lack of a deadline from which the actual limit values should apply at a rate of 100%. Hence, the Social Democrat and Green MEPs demanded a fixed date as well as a genuine reduction of the conformity factor. This is added by the fact that the EP Legal Committee declared the proposal of the Commission to be unlawful because it deviates too much from an already adopted EU law. Thus, the EP Environment Committed decided with a majority to reject the entire proposal. However, last Wednesday, the plenum of the EP, in particular based on votes of EPP, ENF and ECR (with a narrow majority) rejected the recommendation of the Environment Committee. This means that the European automotive industry succeeded in making their voices heard by MEPs and that a difference between “formal” and real-world NOx limit values will continue to exist. However, the decision at least ensures that this difference (currently up to factor 7!) will be continuously reduced. A rejection by the EP might have resulted in a longer delay of the RDE test.
Safe and clean vehicles
Last week, the Commission decided to tighten the regulations in respect of safety and cleanliness of vehicles and formulated three targets: increasing independence and quality for tests concerning the type approval of vehicles. As a second target, the Commission proposes a surveillance system to test also those vehicles, which are already on the road. Thirdly, the vehicle type approval system shall be improved and furnished with greater European supervision.
The AK generally welcomes random controls with more bite concerning manufacturer's data including vehicles, which are already on the road and demands the speedy implementation of the necessary tests (such as RDE tests). It is really hard to explain that until now there have been no mandatory conformity checks for vehicles, which have rolled off the manufacturer's assembly line, in the EU. However, an EU-wide agreed test system, where public authorities have emissions values of engines checked by public inspecting authorities, is important.
A major requirement is that checks are the same both at national and EU level and that not (until now) manufacturers decide who tests their vehicle. An end must be put to the EU-wide “shopping” by car manufacturers with private institutes. From a consumer point of view, the speedy introduction of an EU test cycle, which guarantees full transparency with regard to emissions and fuel consumption under real-world driving conditions, must take priority.
Finally yet importantly, it is a matter of urgency that in future car manufacturers no longer provide their own technical expertise with regard EU legislation! The Commission too proposes that tests must be conducted independently and their quality has to be improved. A first step in this direction has to be a more independent expertise and the input of environmental and consumer protection organisations concerning EU legislation.
Further Information:
AK: Car fuel consumption: consumer right to fair information is a must
AK Study: Vehicle emissions between standard and real consumption
AK: Economy and environment. New vehicles: the deceived public
AK Newsletter: What kind of emission tests will follow after the VW scandal?
European Parliament – Press release (2015)
European Commission – Press release (2016)
European Parliament – Press release (2016)