Diesel SUVs emitting 25-65 times nitrogen oxides than small petrol car: Study

One diesel SUV to the city fleet in Delhi-NCR is equal to adding 25 to 65 small petrol cars, says the study

An SUV running on diesel may be emitting between 25 to 65 times more NOx, a harmful gaseous pollutant, compared to a small petrol-run car, reports a global study shared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The two consecutive hikes in petrol and diesel prices have wiped away more than one-third of the gains that had accrued to consumers when global rates began to fall in August last year.

The CSE researchers said the findings assume significance as the country’s existing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification system does not measure gaseous and particulate emissions from diesel vehicles on road.

“Adding one diesel SUV to the city fleet in Delhi-NCR is equal to adding 25 to 65 small petrol cars in terms of nitrogen oxide, a very harmful gas that also forms deadly ozone,” CSE said in a statement.

The study was done by International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), and US-based International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), it said.

“India must adopt tighter test procedures for vehicle certification as well as implement direct monitoring of actual emissions while vehicle are being driven on road. Europe has already implemented this system,” Anumita Roychowdhury of CSE’s Right To Clean Air Campaign said.

“This study has confirmed what we already know from ‘dieselgate’ in Europe. Diesel cars and particularly large diesel SUVs are much more polluting on road than petrol cars. With BSVI controlling on-road emissions from diesel vehicles will be more complex and expensive than petrol vehicles. As seen in Europe, it is vulnerable to poor performance on road and to emissions cheating,” she said.

Concerned over rising vehicular pollution, the Supreme Court on August 10 issued a slew of directions that included non-renewal of insurance policy of vehicles unless the owner provides pollution under control (PUC) certificate to the insurance firms.