WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today’s ruling by the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, Germany is a broad reflection on past policies and decision-making, rather than any firm judgement against the future for new diesel technology.
The ruling was not a blanket endorsement for widespread bans on diesel cars. Rather, it allows Germany’s cities to decide the extent by which these and other measures should be used, if at all, to achieve cleaner air for their residents.
A complex mixture of sources and influences contribute to air quality in all cities, whether European or American. These can include traffic flows, congestion, utilization of mass transit, as well as the fuel and engine technology mix and performance of commercial and passenger vehicles, not to mention other sources like power generation and industrial activity.
Achieving clean air progress as rapidly as possible in these cities is a goal that is shared by all. A key consideration should be how to accelerate adoption of newer generation of technology to achieving greenhouse gas reductions and cleaner air.
Diesel is the most energy efficient internal combustion engine and its utilization has delivered substantial progress to Europe in achieving very low CO2 emissions. Our experience in the U.S. is that the newest generation of diesel vehicles – equivalent to Europe’s Euro 6 standard – deliver a very clean, near-zero emission performance.
A growing number of manufacturers are introducing more diesel passenger vehicle options in the United States as they strive to provide consumers with a proven, available, fuel-efficient choice to power the kinds of vehicles they want to buy while also achieving future fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction requirements.
Today, continuous improvement in engine and emissions control technologies have delivered a new generation of diesel that is far advanced in its efficiency and emissions performance compared to older generation technology. Meeting new and stricter requirements and expectations for performance both in the lab and in the real world is an essential part of this evolution.
Distorting markets and consumer economics with reactionary bans, fees and restrictions will have rapid and undesirable effects for all parties. A patchwork of rules, restrictions and conflicting policies works against personal mobility and consumer choice across borders and amongst countries. Delayed turnover of the fleet to newer technology of any kind, be that petrol, diesel, hybrid or other technology, jeopardizes the economic stability of the global automotive industry and its ability to invest in future technologies.
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