DIESEL BAN UNDER THREAT? City scrappage scheme will DAMAGE green initiatives

Elzbieta Bienkowska said there would be no benefit in a collapse of the market for diesel cars and the focus should be on forcing carmakers to bring nitrogen oxide emissions in line with EU regulations. 

Ms Bienkowska said: “While I am convinced that we should rapidly head for zero-emission vehicles in Europe, policymakers and industry cannot have an interest in a rapid collapse of the diesel market in Europe as a result of local driving bans.

“It would only deprive the industry of necessary funds to invest in zero-emissions vehicles.”

Germany’s three major carmakers have invested heavily in diesel technology, which offers more efficient fuel burn and lower carbon dioxide emissions than gasoline-powered cars.

The German automaker Audi says it will fit up to 850,000 diesel cars with new software to improve their emissions performance, following rival Daimler doing the same. 

In the letter, Ms Bienkowska told ministers she was concerned that the latest emissions violations at Audi and Porsche were discovered by prosecutors and not Germany’s vehicle and transport authorities.

Ms Bienkowska’s letter also called for all cars with excessively high levels of nitrogen oxide emissions to be taken of European roads, but said carmakers should act on a voluntary basis.

The commissioner did raise the prospect of an EU testing agency if national regulators failed to spot more emissions-test cheats.

Munich, home to carmaker BMW, has become the latest German city to consider banning some diesel vehicles. Environmental groups say diesel bans in cities can cut nitrogen oxide emissions and force automakers to design cleaner vehicles.

Experts who have seen the letter to ministers say the commissioner appeared to be bowing to carmakers’ demands.

Bernstein analyst Max Warburton said in a report: “Her letter contained some important statements that we believe show the industry’s lobbyists have scored a big win.

“They have likely argued that castigating or banning diesel would harm the industry’s earnings and employees, harm efforts to reduce carbon dioxide and harm owners of current vehicles.”

Audi has said in a statement that it “aims to maintain  the future viability of diesel engines” and believes the program “will counteract possible bans on vehicles with diesel engines.”