France tries to “save” Euro 6D-Temp diesel

Euro 6D-Temp diesel like petrol. France tries to adapt the anti-pollution stamps

Euro 6D-Temp diesel, France decides to give it a secon tought. Or, at least, these are the intentions of the Ministry of Economy after years of demonization of diesel with no exception. All in the name of the environment. The most modern Euro 6D-Temp diesel engines could obtain a class 1 antipollution sticker. Just below electric cars, the only ones in a higher class.

The idea is to classify these diesel engines with the same emission classification that is currently given to the most modern gasoline cars, ie the Euro 5 and 6. In particular, we are talking about the attribution of the Crit’Air 1 stamp. The cleaner category among non-electric, which until now was not available for any diesel engine. Diesel vehicles can obtain only stamps up to Crit’Air 2 level. For now, it is only an idea put forward by the ministry of economy. More than one, however, are the perplexities of ecology experts on this matter.

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The problem? French stamps

In France there currently is the Crit’Air classification (from level 1 to level 6) that define the different areas with limited access in which vehicles, depending on the assigned stamp, can circulate. Hybrid cars and petrol-driven cars Euro 5 and Euro 6 have the Crit’Air 1 mark. Diesel ones, also Euro 5 and Euro 6, can only arrive up to the Crit’Air 2 stamp. Older and polluting vehicles have lower category stamp (from 3 to 6) while the very old ones have no mark.

Each of these areas has very different circulation criteria and even now, in the most populated cities, access to the city center is only available for cars within the Crit’Air 1 category. This clearly penalizes all the most modern diesel cars in circulation.

The idea is to bring the diesel back to the first class

It’s quite easy to understand how this type of policy leads to generate a high level of frustration in those who have just bought a new diesel car. Despite being a modern Euro 6D-Temp diesel car, they have no access to areas of the city through which Euro 5 petrol cars can pass with no problem at all. An inequality that can lead to a fine from 68 to 375 euros since January 1 2017.

A decision that is also having strong repercussions on employment. In fact, sales of diesel cars are in sharp decline (in January 2019 it was 38% of the market, 55% in 2016). The French ministry is already suggesting that, following this path, there could be employment problems for 38,000 people. This is why the Ministry of Economy wants to give the Crit’Air 1 stamp to the most recent diesel cars. The Ministry of Ecology, on the other hand, believes that this decision is more a scientific than an economic matter.