Researchers at MIT say plug-in hybrid heavy trucks with flex fuel range extender engines could significantly lower diesel engine emissions right away, not years from now.
Recent air pollution research found that €70 billion in health damage is caused by traffic emissions every year in the European Union — about 75% of the harm is caused by diesel emissions. The report, titled “Health Impacts and Health Costs of Diesel Emissions in the EU,” was commissioned by the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA).
Amazon is creating a new delivery model for its business and has ordered 20,000 Sprinter vans from Mercedes. All of them will be powered by internal combustion engines.
UPS will begin trials of electric delivery vans from Arrival in London and Paris by the end of this year.
Is it a miracle? Shortly after Germany started talking about bans on diesel cars, Bosch says it has new technology that will slash emissions.
News reports in the US and Germany claim that Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW created a research organization that subjected humans and monkeys to diesel exhaust fumes. The purpose of the studies is not yet known.
Volkswagen has, for the time being, halted deliveries of its T6 multivan to dealerships after it was detected that the diesel van was emitting nitrogen oxide levels well above legal limits. The company has now reported this fact to Germany’s auto industry watchdog, KBA.
Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt — the head of the company’s environmental and engineering office (overseeing emissions issues) in Auburn Hills, Michigan, until early 2015 — has been sentenced to 7 years in prison and fined $400,000 for his part in defrauding US regulators regarding the company’s diesel vehicle emissions.
On December 6th, Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt is slated to be sentenced in the US in relation to his earlier guilty plea to charges of conspiring to defraud regulators and to violate clean air laws.
Ahead of this sentencing procedure, Schmidt has reportedly sent a letter to US judge Sean Cox saying the he feels he has been “misused” by Volkswagen.
The diesel engine is like a religion in Europe. It was first promoted by governments as a way to fight back against the OPEC oil embargoes of the 1970s. Since then, taxes on diesel fuel have been lower than those on gasoline. Coupled with other economic incentives, the lower cost of driving means that 70% of all diesel-powered cars manufactured each year are sold in Europe.
