Phasing out Diesel by 2040
The need to phase out the use of traditional fuels is now higher than ever before, with many procedures being put into place globally to help achieve this. Car manufacturers, such as Maserati, are coming up with innovative ways to phase out the need for all fuel and enhance the demand for electric and hybrid vehicles. This all stems from several countries government’s, including the United Kingdom and Germany, announcements of aiming to ban the production of all diesel and petrol-fuelled cars by 2040.
Why Phase Out Diesel?
Although many vehicles are powered by diesel, it is important we make the transition as soon as possible as diesel exhausts have been proven to have many negative impacts such as:[1]
- Pollutants
Diesel exhaust releases a wide range of pollutants into the atmosphere, increasing greenhouse gases and carbon emissions, which contributes towards air pollution, acid rain, global climate change and ozone formation. - Particulate Matter
Diesel particulate matter is one of the most common characteristics of diesel emissions and can be identified as the black smoke released from vehicles’ exhausts. Particulate matter is one of the most harmful emissions created by diesel engines as it can have many negative effects on both the environment and human body.[2] - Hazardous Chemicals
As well as producing particulate matter, diesel engines also release a significant amount of carbon and around forty other chemicals which have been classified as “hazardous air pollutants”, according to the Clean Air Act. - Health Conditions
There are many health conditions that can arise due to diesel engines polluting the air, the main ones affecting the lungs, heart and the body’s cells. With some of our main organs at risk of infection and diseases, such as accelerated ageing of the lungs, asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, it is important action is taken to lower the use of fuel and expand on the need for electric vehicles.[3]
Plans to Clean Our Air
With these negative impacts in mind, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has produced a set of plans to enhance the number of ‘clean air zones’ within the UK, particularly in more populated areas such as London. Plans include a wide range of innovative strategies such as adapting road layouts to lower the risk of congestion and the release of hazardous chemicals, and encouraging travellers to use public transport.[4]
To coincide with this, DEFRA has also stated that there is a possibility certain areas will start to provide restricted access to a range of vehicles, mostly those fuelled by diesel or petrol, and will charge them to enter those areas, if other strategies are not sufficient.
As well as this, DEFRA has stated that it is going to reconsider how diesel vehicles are taxed and may change the process in due course.
Maserati Already Have Plans to Begin
The CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Sergio Marchiane, has revealed that all new manufactured Maserati vehicles will be powered by either electric or hybrid engines from 2019 onwards. This was announced in a conference call with investors at the start of the year which also found that Marchiane is aiming to phase out diesel vehicles by 2040 to go along with government plans.
What are the next steps in the United Kingdom?
Though the challenge, both environmentally and financially, to ban all petrol and diesel cars will be a long one, we are committed to ensuring we play are part in moving towards a greener future. 2EA will be attending a public policy exchange symposium called Air Pollution in the UK Post-Brexit: Tackling air pollution and delivering a cleaner, greener and healthier future for the UK in December 2017.
[1] Deq State, [2] Dieselnet, [3] Spare the Air, [4] Auto express, [5] Express
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