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Manufacturers as consumers have a well-understood interest in seeing CO2 emissions decrease: it is always easier to sell a car that escapes the ecological penalty. Therefore, if we wanted to suspect any fraud during vehicle certification tests, we would be more likely to imagine manufacturers applying optimization recipes to artificially reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions rather than increase them. Logic
But it is precisely the opposite that they believe to have found the European commissioners. The Financial Times and the NGO Transport & Environment had access to an internal, non-public document in which the European Commission's Joint Research Center reported identifying 114 vehicles among the thousands approved in recent weeks, which would have been voluntarily configured to inflate their fuel consumption and CO2 emission values.
After the down-fired NOx, here is the CO2 rigged on the rise
Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner Spanish Minister for Climate Action Financial Times in unequivocal terms: " We have identified elements that do not satisfy us, we will conduct the investigation and so that the figures obtained are the correct ones. "For the time being, no one dares to communicate the name of the manufacturers and the models suspected of inflating their CO2 emissions during the te Certification
Manufacturers' interest in doing so will be better understood by recalling that greenhouse gas reduction targets are still being negotiated in Brussels. We know that the manufacturers have committed themselves ten years to reduce to 95 g / km the average of their CO2 emissions by 2021 (an objective which translates for each one by a value more or less high, in function of the composition of their ranges). In November 2017, the Commission asked manufacturers to commit to a further 15% reduction in their emissions between 2020 and 2025; and still 30% before 2030. Negotiations are under way and it is still unclear whether the builders will concede such efforts or whether they will manage to postpone these two deadlines.
Whatever the height of the march, however, it will be easier to cross if the threshold is higher. Explanations
Since the negotiations take as a basis of reference the average emissions found in the most recent WLTP certification tests, it is understandable that manufacturers have an interest in inflating them. These are a few grams of CO2 earned on paper that engineers will not have to compensate for in their work
Software to detect the start of certification tests
What is the method? In all likelihood, it is similar to that used by the Volkswagen Group to deceive US lawmakers. Recall that some of its diesel engines were able to detect the beginning of the homologation test by recognizing its characteristics (duration, acceleration rate and load, etc.). The on-board computer was programmed to sacrifice engine power and reduce emissions for the duration of the homologation test cycle. Beyond that, electronics was sacrificing emissions on the altar of approval to operate.
Technicians at the European Commission's Joint Research Center believe they have highlighted a computer program that can tell the difference between new WLTP certification tests and old ones: during the latter, the engine targets the lowest CO2 level; while during the new WLTP tests, the CO2 value is higher, in proportions that are not explained by the differences in protocols.
In sum, if it is logical to expect a rise in CO2 when from NECD to WLTP, the increases on 114 vehicles exceed the expected proportion. The CO2 levels recorded by the European Commission's Joint Research Center are on average 4.5% higher than those reported by manufacturers, with a peak of + 13%. Troubling
The pbadage of the WLTP standard is expensive for the builders
It's a race against the clock. The new Euro 6d TEMP pollution standards require all manufacturers to request a second homologation for each model in their range, before 1 September 2018. Some manufacturers, like Volvo Cars and the PSA Group, ensure that on the morning of D-Day, all of their models will have been approved under the new WLTC and RDE test cycles. To remove those that prove too expensive to adapt (such as the Peugeot 308 GTi or some petrol variants of the Dacia Duster).
Recall that September 1, 2018, manufacturers will be able to display the level average fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for each of the thousands of variants of their models. Including when the difference is only the size of the wheels and the number of equipment (more or less energy-consuming). A lot of work in perspective, therefore.
Since the certification tests of the WLTC and RDE cycles claim to be more realistic than the old NEDC cycle that was supplanted in September 2017, the manufacturers must expect to see an increase in consumption – and therefore CO2 emissions too. Except for technical adjustments which cost them time and money.
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