The plans for a colour coding scheme in France to classify vehicles according to their pollution levels will see Euro 6 diesel cars excluded from Category 1 – the greenest level of the scheme.

“Policy should be technology-neutral to ensure the uptake of the latest low-emission vehicles. There is no reason to discriminate against clean diesel technologies,” stated ACEA secretary general, Erik Jonnaert. “This does not make sense from an environmental or health point of view, and could be detrimental to the mobility of cities and businesses.”

The ACEA added that as diesel cars have lower CO2 emissions per kilometre than equivalent petrol-powered vehicles, they are an important means to enable manufacturers to reach the EU’s 2021 CO2 fleet average targets. They will also continue to be an essential contributor to meeting post-2021 targets. 

Jonnaert added: “We share the desire to improve air quality – which will happen as newer, more advanced engines gradually replace older ones – but doing so at the expense of pushing up CO2 emissions is not the right way forward. With a policy framework in place that encourages the more rapid adoption of the latest low-emissions technologies, we can improve air quality and at the same time reduce CO2 emissions.”

This is also why the industry is calling for the support of the member states to ensure that the Commission completes very soon the RDE regulation in a sensible and balanced way. “Without the RDE regulation, industry has no legal means to demonstrate that Euro 6 diesel vehicles also have very low NOx emissions,” explained Mr Jonnaert.