to think that diesel cars are a deadly fraud

[mamamea]

European regulations dictate that cars are tested at between 20C and 30C, temperatures we seldom see in Britain. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_European_Driving_Cycle

The regulations are a nonsense, which in theory specify that diesel cars should emit only trace amounts of deadly pollutants (which kill tens of thousands a year in Britain), but in reality allow manufacturers to emit many times higher levels of deadly pollutants in the real world.

The latest news is that apparently diesel cars are even more noxious and carcinogenic below the frigid depths of 18 Celsius (yes, +18, not -18C)

www.bbc.com/news/business-36589106

AIBU to wonder why we are being gassed and poisoned by these noxious vehicles on the basis of completely spurious test results which correspond in no measure to what is actually emitted on the road.

[tilder]

It depends on which emission you are concerned about. My understanding was (may be wrong) that diesel results in lower co2 emissions than petrol ( so better for climate change) but high pollutants in terms of immediate air quality.

Currently the emphasis is on immediate air quality.

All cars pollute. Even electric ones (unless you charge by solar power or something! ).

[mamamea]

CO2 is not directly harmful. The emissions from diesel cars are.

[Littleoakhorn]

Diesel cars are worse for local air quality, petrol are worse for greenhouse gas emissions. So the choice of car in terms of greenness depends on where you live and the driving that you do. In the countryside, diesel is probably better, in the middle of a large city, petrol is probably better. The in between examples are more difficult to calculate. There are loads of other considerations too, such as the climate of where you live, the journeys you do, the car you need... And so on.

[IndridCold]

This is to do with the fact that, in policy making, climate change trumps everything. Reducing carbon emissions was the aim, and the other ill effects were totally ignored when we were all urged to go diesel.

There are similar fears about particulate emissions from electric cars too, apparently.

[DJBaggieSmalls]

Egosumquisum I think thats a good point, if you get better fuel economy thats also a saving on emissions.
Plus we can grow and make diesel. Thats going to be handy when the petrol runs out.