A scathing new study has been released suggesting that 97 percent of all modern diesel-powered cars fail to meet emissions standards when subjected to real-world testing.
The data, which comes from the EQUA Air Quality Index‘s Real-World Vehicle Emissions Ratings Programme, suggests that most diesel cars pollute by emitting more toxic nitrogen oxide (NOx) than is legally allowed and that a quarter of them produce at least six times legal limits, autoguide.com reported.
The current Euro 6 emissions standard, which came into force in 2014 across Europe, allows petrol and diesel cars to emit 0.06g/km and 0.08g/km of NOx respectively.
The study, which looked at more than 250 modern diesel vehicles in Europe, says virtually all manufacturers have diesel cars that pollute far more when they undergo more stringent real-world testing. Cars tested in the lab typically pass standardized government testing, but when taken out on real roads, nearly all of the cars tested emit more pollution.
An interesting finding from the study is that Volkswagen diesels, which sparked increased scrutiny when it was discovered last year they were rigged to cheat emissions testing, were not the worst offenders in terms of how much they polluted. Some of the cars the study says emit more than 12 times the legal limits come from automakers including BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche and Volvo, among many others.
Nearly every automaker that sells diesels appears somewhere on the spectrum of surpassing the legal limits for pollution.
The study does not suggest that automakers are breaking the law or have engineered their diesels to cheat, but perhaps suggests that stricter and more accurate testing is required.
