DUEBENDORF, Switzerland, March 15 (Reuters) - Engineers working to tackle carcinogenic pollution from cars have developed cheap and simple devices to test the effectiveness of particle filters, which could help take toxic vehicles off roads without resorting to blanket bans. Municipalities across Europe are struggling to find ways to meet new clean air rules without having to invest billions in electric vehicle infrastructure or banning diesel vehicles altogether. Regulators also need to find inexpensive ways to measure real-world emissions without installing costly equipment. Engineers have now come up with simple, hand-held, battery-powered tools to check within minutes whether cars at low idle speeds have particle filters that work. 9,060), making them affordable for police and garages that do emissions inspections. The new measuring devices will start rolling out in Europe this year for mandatory tests and could help improve diesel engines' reputation after scandals over carmakers' use of illegal defeat devices to manipulate exhaust emission tests. Some German cities have banned diesel cars, primarily to limit harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. However particulates also kill 5 million people a year globally, Andreas Mayer, director of engineering group VERT's scientific committee, told Reuters on the sidelines of the group's annual meeting.
The more than 100 million particle filters in use on European roads can, if they work properly, make vehicles' exhaust less toxic than the ambient air cars burn. The problem comes when ceramic filters crack or get plugged with soot, sometimes prompting mechanics to remove or alter them in an improper fix to boost engine power. Made by a dozen European companies, the new testing devices will initially be rolled out in the Netherlands and Belgium and eventually spread to all of Europe, Mayer said. The harmful impact of NOx emissions and fine particulate matter were for years ignored by European regulators until Volkswagen was caught masking excessive pollution levels in cars it sold in the United States. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is suing Volkswagen and its former chief executive Martin Winterkorn over the scandal, accusing the company of perpetrating a "massive fraud" on U.S. The fraud caught the eye of European regulators, who had focused mainly on carbon dioxide emissions. He noticed other carmakers used more sophisticated emissions filters. Together with colleagues he rented a VW Jetta station wagon without knowing that their findings would change the auto industry forever. Besch needed to measure the VW's pollution levels under laboratory conditions, so he turned to California's Air Resources Board (CARB), which would later help blow the whistle on the "Dieselgate" scandal. The rented Volkswagen passed the laboratory test at CARB's facility, but behaved very differently on the road, Besch said. Besch told Reuters. NOx pollution drops once catalytic converters warm up, but the VW's levels were more than 30 times the legal limit, Besch's data showed.
What is the EPA city and highway mileage estimate for the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta-Sportwagen? The EPA mileage estimate for the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta-Sportwagen is 23 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway. What is the EPA city and highway mileage estimate for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta-Sportwagen? The EPA mileage estimate for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta-Sportwagen is 23 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is 348.0 mi. 493.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 420.5 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta is 319.0 mi.
435.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta is 275.5 mi. 406.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta is 348.0 mi. 493.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 406.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 406.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta is 348.0 mi.
493.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 435.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 406.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 406.0 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta is 304.5 mi. 420.5 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta is 348.0 mi. 493.0 mi. on the highway.
