Why is it repeated? Automakers cheat in new emissions test and warned by the EU

According to foreign media reports, EU regulators warned in a research report that automakers are cheating in the EU's new pollution inspection to prevent diesel door scandals from being repeated, and to reduce emissions under the new rules by exaggerating emissions in benchmark tests. The emission standards to be achieved.

The EU's new emissions test aims to better measure the exhaust emissions of vehicles on the road, after regulators found that Volkswagen tried to manipulate laboratory tests to make its vehicles emit far less than the emissions on the road. In 2015, Volkswagen admitted to US regulators that its 11 million diesel vehicles sold worldwide (mostly in Europe) were equipped with emissions software to cover exhaust emissions, prompting EU regulators to set stricter standards.

However, EU regulators have warned that automakers will artificially raise emissions in the new Global Light Vehicle Testing Program (WLTP) implemented in 2020 (the base year for future climate targets). The European Union Joint Research Centre (JRC) said in a study of 114 datasets on July 18, "As the 2021 emission standards were artificially elevated, the 2025 and 2030 emissions targets were also reduced. It actually weakens the goal of the proposal."

In November last year, the European Commission proposed that by 2025, the average carbon dioxide emissions of automakers will be 15% lower than that of 2021 and 30% by 2030. According to JRC, automakers claim that carbon emissions are 13% higher than actual measurements and 4.5% above average, and automakers' test scores in WLTP are lower than those in older lab tests. %. The name of any car manufacturer is not mentioned in the report.

Although legislators are trying to prevent automakers from falsely reporting low emissions under new legal standards, EU regulators say the new legal standards do not include provisions to avoid excessive emissions. In an open letter to EU governments and EU members, the European Commission for Climate and Industry proposed that final reforms be needed to address the issue of vehicle emissions. At present, the EU government and parliamentarians are agreeing on the final law on new standards for vehicle emissions.

The European Commission for Climate and Industry said that the starting point for climate targets should be based on measured values ​​rather than published emissions. The EU implementing agency will also conduct cross-checks and take supervisory measures during testing.

William Todts, executive director of the Clean Energy Group's Transportation and Environment, said, "Automakers' fraud in new emissions testing indicates that the automotive industry is untrustworthy, and collusion and deception are still widespread."

JRC pointed out that test data from two cars showed that the cars participating in the emissions test used exhausted batteries, so they consumed additional fuel to power the batteries, thereby increasing carbon dioxide emissions. The report also said that testing the start and stop function of the car (the system that shuts down the engine when the engine is idle, to reduce emissions) has been banned, in addition to the use of shifting strategy, that is, the car is driven by gears, resulting in significant carbon dioxide emissions increase.