EU wants new fuel consumption tests

The problem or real-world fuel use not being compatible with the car manufacturer's published figures, is to be addressed by the EU, writes Trish Whelan.

The EU is planning to require car manufacturers to test their vehicles on roads rather than in laboratory situations.

Currently, EU research published last year showed that manufacturers have been known to tape up car doors and windows and drive on unrealistically smooth surfaces to make the fuel efficiency figures as good as possible.

It explained around a third of a recorded drop in average EU C02 emissions, linked to reduced fuel consumption.

Already from 1 September, slightly tougher EU testing standards will be enforced, in line with a global push for accuracy. More-stringent standards are likely to be opposed by automakers.

The biggest concern is that nitrogen oxide emissions are being seriously under-estimated and are in reality five times above official EU limits. The NOX emissions are known to be a contributor to lung disease and 'hundreds of thousands of early deaths'.

The old tests, obsolete at the end of this month (August), are based on a 0.180 g/km limit as part of a reduction from 0.5g/km over 15 years.

The car industry has acknowledged the tests are flawed, but argues the Commission needs to be realistic. VDA, the lobby for the German car industry, said it was working on its own real-world testing proposal which it would put before the Commission. The industry says it is too soon to set a 2025 standard on car C02 emissions, which the Commission has also said it is working on, with a view to a policy announcement this year.