Just 15 Euro 6 diesels pass real-world emissions tests

17 May 2017

Only 15 Euro 6-compliant diesels meet threshold NOx limits under real-world driving tests, according to Emissions Analytics.

This is out of hundreds of diesel models the British emissions testing company has assessed, highlighting the immense hurdle diesels have to overcome as emissions regulations approach real-world driving conditions with the upcoming WLTP tests in September.

Surprisingly, it is actually the German OEMs that score best – with all 15 cars that pass the test coming from German brands. In fact, ten come from Volkswagen, the supposed biggest offender from the Dieselgate scandal. However, the 2016 Mercedes CLA 2.1 automatic and 2016 Renault Mégane 1.5 dCi received a poor ′G’ rating, meaning NOx emissions spewed out eight to 12 times greater than that of official tests.

Responding to the results, a Volkswagen spokesman said: ′Achieving such strong ratings for our diesel vehicles during a standardised real-world test serves to reassure consumers that they can buy our products with confidence.’

With the results forming part of its independent ′EQUA Index’ emissions rating system, Emissions Analytics says the incoming new real-world WLTP test is only an improvement, and ′will only partially close the current gap between official data and reality.’

Emissions Analytics conducts every test in a standardised manner, resulting in objective results.

It assigns eight A-H category ratings for each model it tests, depending on how well each car complies with official type approval NOx figures. This is outlined as follows:
 

• A – Euro 6 diesel stays within 80mg/km limit
• B – Car complies with 2019 RDE (real driving emission) norm, which is 1.5 times the current Euro 6 limit
• C – Diesel cars that comply with the Euro 5 standard (which includes having particulate filters)
• D-H show even higher emissions measured.
   

However, diesel models are not the only ones under pressure from toughening emissions regulations. While all diesel models from Euro 5 onwards have had to include particulate filters, bigger petrol engines are increasingly likely to need to include them too. Mercedes now includes them in its S-class models, and Volkswagen has pledged to fit all its petrol models with particulate filters from next month.

Image courtesy of www.equaindex.com