In an interview with the Jyväskylä-based newspaper Keskisuomalainen published on Sunday, Juhani Laurikko, a Principal Scientist at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, comments on a report that cars with low petrol consumption tend to emit high volumes of fine particles.
The report by the Brussels-based NGO Transport&Environment says that new petrol engines using gasoline direct injection (GDI) in an effort to cut CO2 emissions have particle emissions that are much higher than equivalent diesel vehicles – and as much as 1000 times as high as older vehicles.
GDI cars may produce as much as 10 times more particles than similar diesel cars equipped with particle emission filters.
Only €40 per car to fix
Transport&Environment notes that these filters only cost about 40 euros each, with no negative impact on fuel economy. “Despite this, carmakers are delaying fitting filters on GDI cars and instead rely on manipulating tests,” the NGO claims.
Laurikko says that European lawmakers are aware of the problem, and predicts that it will be resolved by 2017 at the latest. By then, GDI engines will be required to meet all emissions requirements of the European Union’s Euro 6 directive. The motors will no longer be allowed to exceed the particle emission levels produced by new diesel engines.
He says that the auto industry has also overlooked nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles, which remain far too high. Like fine particles, they are hazardous to human and animal health.
