Several associations and NGOs denounce levels of nitrogen oxide emissions that do not meet the standards. 3.3 million diesel vehicles would be affected in France.
Towards a new dieselgate? Nineteen million diesel vehicles driving in Europe would present “suspicious” levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, alerted this Wednesday the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT), an environmental NGO.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has recently rendered several judgments deeming illegal software fitted to diesel vehicles. This “defeat device”, revealed during Dieselgate in 2015, systematically improves the performance of the polluting gas control system during homologation procedures. The NOx emissions filtration system is reduced or deactivated when temperatures are too low and above a certain altitude. Automakers have always maintained that it was necessary to protect the engine.
3.3 million vehicles would be affected in France
Of the 53 million diesel cars sold in the EU and the UK between 2009 and 2019, 24 million vehicles produced – 19 million are still running, including 3.3 million in France – had “suspicious” emissions compared to CJEU decisions, according to the ICCT.
Sixteen million vehicles even display levels of emissions qualified as “extreme” (three or four times the official limit). These excessive emissions indicate the “probable use” of a prohibited engine calibration strategy. The 19 million suspect vehicles, of 200 models, were sold by numerous manufacturers under the Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards.
The NGOs ClientEarth, France Nature Environnement (FNE) and Consumption Housing Framework of Life (CLCV) announced on Wednesday that they had seized the authorities in France, Germany and the United Kingdom for builders to contribute to a fund aimed at reducing pollution from to road transport.
To compile this report, the ICCT analyzed three sources of NOx emissions data: laboratory and field test data provided by governmental authorities, field test data produced by independent organizations and an extensive database of remote sensing measurements.
The “thermal windows”
The “Dieselgate” broke out in September 2015 and then destabilized the entire automotive sector. In this rigged engine scandal, Volkswagen has admitted to tampering with 11 million cars to display lower than actual emission levels. Several manufacturers such as Fiat-Chrysler and PSA (now Stellantis) and Renault have since been in the sights of justice.
The CJEU delivered an important decision on Tuesday on a similar technique, that of “thermal windows”, which makes it possible to control the purification of exhaust gases from diesel vehicles according to the outside temperature. Their owners can, according to her, claim damages from the builders.
