Renault Is The Latest Manufacturer To Be Dragged Into The Emissions Scandal
It’s probably safe to assume that every manufacturer that uses diesel engines is getting a little nervous right now. Following Volkswagen’s admission that it faked emissions tests for its diesel engines, regulators have been checking to see if anyone else has been duping tests. Now, DUH (the German Environmental Agency) is pointing the finger at Renault, specifically its 1.6-litre diesel engine found in the Espace.
DUH reports that the Renault Espace diesel was recorded emitting 25 times more nitrogen oxide than the current Euro-6 limit allows. The inspections were undertaken using new European test cycles in five separate tests with a warm engine.
DUH believes that the current legislature in place in Europe makes it too easy for manufacturers to get away with duping consumers. In its statement, DUH quoted Axel Freidrich, co-founder of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), saying “[we] need a comprehensive reorganisation of the system, in which mandatory regular controls on the street are integrated.” The ICCT wants emissions testing to take place in real world conditions, with customer cars being checked rather than those supplied by manufacturers.
Renault has so far not commented on the news, however it’s no surprise to see more manufacturers being dragged into the scandal. The big question is: how many more engines will be found to have illegal emissions levels? Furthermore, if it’s as widespread as we all suspect, how will it affect manufacturers that don’t have the resources of VW to compensate customers and pay fines? This story won’t go away any time soon, of that we can be sure.
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Soon: Every over 1,8l diesel engine is suspected for having emission test cheating software
soon: only american cars are not polluting, proceeds to drive away in a dodge ram which is running on coal
I have no doubt that every manufaure has at least one engine that doesn’t comply to the rules.
I really don’t car about if engines are not meeting emissions when a couple supertankers doing a single trip each pollutes the earth more than running all the cars in the world for a year.
Ships is actually the best way to transport goods, both economically and environmentally.
Please…. I have a 2L Turbo Diesel… Peugeot… Don’t do this to me man…. Don’t do this DAMNIT!
What are the specs on the engine, if they seem a little too good to be true then they very well may have cheated. You should probably go get it checked just to be safe.
That also means Citroen (obviously), but also Ford and Volvo since they all used that family of diesel engines at one point or another. That means a huge number of cars…
Are the emission standards even possible to achieve if the violators are so many times over the limits ? Will this require even more complicated and expensive exhaust cat cons ?
I believe I read that it is, but at the expense of a huge decrease in performance. VW etc only get 220bhp from a 2.0 TDI because they break the emissions limits massively.
With the current diesel engines being so far over the limit on pollution how long will it take to get these engine to meet emissions standards? The larger question is if it is even possible for these engines to meet these standards without lowering the amount of power and torque the engine produces? If they have to lower the power and torque significantly then it will erase the benefit of the diesel engine altogether. I understand why the manufacturers did this at first ( too produce cheaper engines) but now after seeing everything that is going on I’m starting to fear for the smaller manufacturers that may not be able to fix these engines or even pay the fines that will be given to them. This should serve as a message to all engine manufacturers that it is not worth the consequences to cheat on emissions tests, just take the time to develop the engine properly so it meets the emissions standards.
I can’t speak from an engineering perspective, but from a driver and consumer perspective I share your doubts about lowering the emissions without reducing peak power and peak torque (or the range at which it is developed) too.
My car, which has a Volkswagen/Audi CFFB 2.0 TDI-CR 140 HP engine in it, will be recalled and, I suppose, have its software modified and the ECU remapped. I am going to dyno the car before and after the modifications, so the results will be clear for everyone to see.
Speaking of fuel consumption, I find it more difficult to prove an hypothetical increase because measuring it is not so easy. If I’d lose 5 HP I wouldn’t be happy, but if the car would begin to use more fuel I’d get definitely angry. More fuel means more money to spend… but more CO2 too, which is not good for the planet either.
In both cases, a remap will be my first option. It’s sad, but this is the point where the absurd regulations have gone. Polluting more to pollute less? Using more fuel and loosing performance?
i believe its a matter of time until the diesel ends, at least on road cars, truck will lose it a few years later, in a few city’s Buses are starting to be electric, hybrid and electric cars are getting better and cheaper, France has told they want to remove Diesel from Paris by 2020, things like this will just speed up the process…
It’s every diesel now, DUH
1.6 litre Diesel engine. How long is that engine used ? 2 years ?
It’s pretty recent yeah, my 2010 Grand Scenic was only available with the 1.5 and 1.9 diesel engines that have been used for a good 10-15 years before that. The 1.6 diesel has been introduced either as a replacement or along side these engines in the 2013 and onwards Renaults i think
HUEHUEHUEHUEHUEHUE
Hahaha my teacher has a Renault diesel and he said today that he’s convinced the Renault isn’t affected
Germans trying to get VAG out of crap but there is one big difference. VW used a device to lover the emissions, Renault didn’t, there is just just a big difference between real consumption and the one released by manufacturer.
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