Huge improvements have been made in air quality over the past 25 years, with four of the most dangerous traffic emissions slashed by almost 90%. But only about one third of harmful particles are emitted from diesel vehicles.
Other factors, like the sulphur content of the diesel fuel and traffic planning, can have a huge impact on overall emissions.
We believe it is technically and economically feasible to meet the emission levels set by the EU. Indeed, hybridization can potentially offer zero-emission possibilities. But environmental demands should be technology-neutral and performance-based if they are to encourage research and development into cleaner engines.