Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The EU Commission now mandates emission limits be met under all driving conditions, questioning the validity of Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel engines, potentially affecting millions of cars.
Why has the EU Commission revised emission limit standards?
In proceedings at the European Court of Justice, the EU Commission has revised its legal opinion on adherence to emission limits, so that the limitations must now be met under all driving conditions, including full load. Previously, emissions were estimated only under standardized, comparable test requirements. This change indicates that all Euro 5 and possibly Euro 6 standards will become questionable.
How does the new ruling impact Euro 5 and 6 engines?
The new restrictions on old diesel engines relate to the potential phase-out of Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel engines. Currently in Germany 2024 m. 4,3 million will still be registered. diesel engines that meet the “Euro 5” standard.
Until 2017 testing of new cars was established on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), which calculated whether emissions met emission limit values ​​in a laboratory. However, this system was not believed realistic in real-world conditions and was replaced by the new procedure (RDE). However, older “Euro 5” or “Euro 6” diesel engines are still documented under NEDC and used on roads.
What does the European Court of Justice case mean for diesel vehicles?
These permits are now being questioned in a court case in Germany that has been directed to the European Court of Justice. According to the Ministry of Transport, the Attorney General also noted that cars must correspond to values ​​even outside laboratory conditions.
ADAC spokeswoman Tagesschau reported about the need to defend existing car owners and considered discussions about a total ban “inappropriate”. Older diesel cars were properly enlisted when they were put on the market. “According to ADAC’s lawyers, vehicle Changes to the measurement procedure made at the time of type approval cannot be retroactively applied later.”
Full of old diesel car insurance would have significant consequences for the European Union as a whole. One solution could be to refine the regulations to mirror relevant legislative changes by the Commission and Member States.
