EU Still Struggling with Emission Test Loopholes

Europe is tightening emission tests for cars to better align their certified carbon dioxide emissions with real-world results, but carmakers continue to “game” the tests, according to the Financial Times.

EU rules will reduce allowable CO₂ emissions from 130 g/km currently to 95 g/km by 2021 and to about 80 g/km in 2030.

But for years manufacturers have been capitalizing on loopholes in test rules to bolster their certified results. The International Council on Clean Transportation has calculated that the gap between official lab-measured CO₂ emissions and on-the-road results zoomed from 8% in 2001 to 31% in 2013 and 42% in 2016.

The gap translates into a significant difference between certified fuel efficiency ratings for cars and the results owners can expect under normal driving conditions.

FT says the gap has widened because the test procedures are loosely defined, and regulators have made little or no effort to eliminate ways to skirt the intent of the law.

Thus carmakers have buoyed their CO₂ ratings with such tricks as taping over door cracks to improve aerodynamics, using special lubricants to lower friction, disconnecting the alternator to reduce drag on the engine and fitting test cars with overinflated or special compound tires that generate less rolling resistance.

The European Commission is responding with greater powers to impose centralized sanctions for the entire EU. The EC also is switching from the simplistic, decades-old New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) to the more rigorous World Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).

The shift will result in an industrywide increase in CO₂ test results. In 2020, EU regulators will set a new index for future emissions by averaging the CO₂ gap between NEDC and WLTP. But the head of one company that conducts independent real-world emission tests tells FT even the new certification protocol is likely to leave a 20% spread between official CO₂ output and real-world emissions.

Meanwhile, the EC revealed last month that some carmakers appear to be gaming a loophole in the shift itself. The commission says it has found evidence of manufacturers understating NEDC emissions by 4% and overstating WLTP results by as much as 13%. The intent, according to the commission, is to establish a higher baseline for 2020 that will make it easier to achieve later emission limits.