The Grattan Institute has proposed that new petrol and diesel cars be phased out in Australia by 2035 in order to “supercharge the move to electric vehicles” and help Australia reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
What will happen to diesel cars after 2020?
In 2030, all new conventional gasoline and diesel automobiles and vans will be prohibited from being sold. New hybrids will be allowed to remain on the road until 2035 if they can go a “substantial distance” in zero-emission mode, a criterion that the government has yet to define.
New plug-in hybrids will be available for another five years before being phased out in 2035. The government has also stated that traditional hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, will be allowed to continue on the market until 2035 if they can achieve the “substantial” zero-emission distance.
After 2035, the only new cars and vans that can be sold are pure electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf, as well as any hydrogen-powered vehicles that may exist at the time, such as the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai. Second-hand cars, on the other hand, will be untouched by the restriction, allowing petrol and diesel cars, as well as traditional hybrids with “substantial” zero-emission capabilities, to trade hands after 2030.
Is it worth buying a diesel car in Australia?
Diesel has had a stench for a long time, but with the Volkswagen crisis and major European towns considering banning it, it appears to be a fuel source that is more offensive than ever. So, should you invest in one?
Diesel was once primarily used in farm machinery and long-haul transportation, with agricultural producers receiving a subsidy on the price per litre.
Diesel engines have been immensely popular in Europe for many years, where diesel is often cheaper than gasoline, thanks to the introduction of turbocharging in particular.
Because diesel is less volatile than gasoline, cold starts require higher compression and unique heating components in the combustion chamber. However, once up and running, a diesel engine is exceptionally fuel efficient, using roughly 30% less gasoline than an equivalent petrol engine.
Diesel prices are currently approximately the same as standard unleaded, making them more appealing, especially in comparison to faster automobiles that require Premium Unleaded, which costs up to 20c per litre more.
However, you will often pay more up front for a diesel-powered car, up to 10% to 15% more, so buy a calculator and calculate how long it will take you to repay that initial outlay in fuel savings. Simply put, if you travel a lot of miles, the diesel’s fuel economy will be appealing, and this will be even more so if gasoline prices continue to rise.
More fuel from a tank means fewer trips to the servo, which saves time and calories (curse those tempting chocolate-covered counters).
If you’re buying a small, inexpensive automobile that will be economical even with a gasoline engine, the additional expense is more difficult to justify.
Diesel engines lack excitement in terms of driving because they don’t like to rev high like petrol engines, but they make up for it at the bottom end.
Diesel’s superpower is torque, which translates to a strong push off the line and the capacity to tow huge loads. Diesel economy does not grow as quickly as petrol when a weight is added, which is why it is the preferred fuel for big trucks.
In the long run, diesel vehicles depreciate more quickly than gasoline vehicles (especially if they’re VWs), and the risk is that this scenario will worsen, given what we now know about emissions.
The ugly truth
Modern diesels are marketed as being safe and environmentally friendly, but new study has uncovered an uncomfortable truth.
Major producers failed to match their laboratory results, resulting in dangerously excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide being released into the atmosphere.
In a real-world test, all but five of 29 ‘Euro 6’-compliant diesels exceeded pollution restrictions, with some emitting up to 27 times the permissible quantity of hazardous fumes.
In tests done by The Sunday Times newspaper in the UK, major manufacturers such as Mazda, BMW, and Volkswagen, all of which offer the same diesel engines here, failed to match their laboratory results, spewing harmful and unlawfully high quantities of nitrogen dioxide.
Mazda’s SkyActiv diesel produced four times the Euro 6 restriction, BMW’s all-wheel-drive X3 produced over ten times the limit, and Volkswagen’s Touareg produced an incredible 22.5 times the EU limit.
The Kia Sportage, on the other hand, was significantly worse, producing 27 times the Euro 6 limit.
Nitrogen dioxide exposure leads to serious lung and heart problems, as well as an increased risk of asthma, allergies, and airborne infections. Sick babies, miscarriages, and birth deformities have all been linked to the harmful gas.
The World Health Organization estimates that nitrogen dioxide causes about 22,000 deaths each year in Europe, where oil-burning cars account for roughly half of all vehicles.
Diesels account for roughly a fifth of the Australian fleet, but their number has increased by more than 96% in the last five years.
In cars alone, Australians now consume about three billion gallons of diesel each year, with another 9.5 billion litres consumed by commercial vehicles.
Cars, trucks, buses, and bicycles account for about 80% of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Australian cities.
The Mazda6 diesel, which is powered by the same 2.2-litre ‘SkyActiv’ engine as the CX-5, was one of the cars to break the Euro limitations in the UK test. Mazda sells roughly 2000 CX-5s every month in Australia, with diesel accounting for one out of every six sales.
As it traveled along an urbanized path, the SkyActiv diesel tester produced four times the Euro 6 limit on average.
While it failed the test, a Mazda UK spokeswoman explained that Euro standards are more concerned with measurement consistency than with real-world emissions.
“The current test is designed to illustrate differences in cars based on tight laboratory circumstances, ensuring consistency across all manufacturers and allowing customers to make decisions based on data obtained under identical conditions,” Mazda adds.
“The test cycle isn’t flawless, but it does provide a benchmark for consumers to choose a car based on the most essential considerations environmental and financial.”
“However, we recognize the test’s limitations and the fact that it rarely matches real-world driving; the Euro 6 award is based on official test results rather than real-world data.”
Because of Australia’s pollution standards, we are more likely to be exposed to harmful chemicals.
Mazda’s poor performance was overshadowed by the Kia Sportage, which emitted more than 20 times the legal limit of nitrogen dioxide.
Kevin Hepworth, a spokesman for Kia Australia, would only comment that Kia vehicles fulfill pollution criteria.
He explained, “The cars we import into Australia are comply with Australian Design Rules.”
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes 3.7 million premature deaths each year, making it “the world’s worst environmental health concern.”
Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, which is the superfine soot found in diesel exhaust, are two of the most harmful components in air pollution.
Despite the fact that Australia’s air is among the cleanest in the developed world, air pollution claims the lives of more than 3000 Australians each year, approximately three times the number of people killed in automobile accidents.
According to the Australian Medical Association, Australia’s pollution limits put us at higher danger of harmful chemical exposure.
The AMA believes that “current Australian air-quality standards fall behind worldwide standards and have failed to keep pace with scientific findings.”
Diesel is still seen as an environmentally beneficial alternative in Australia, with improved fuel economy resulting in less CO2 emissions, and newer diesels are marketed as high-tech units that burn cleanly.
While this may be accurate in the lab, real-world studies show it to be a load of hot, filthy air.
Can I still drive my diesel car after 2030?
No, the petrol and diesel automobile prohibition only applies to new combustion engine cars; existing cars will continue to be lawful to buy and drive. Because a car’s typical lifespan is 14 years, new petrol and diesel cars purchased in late 2029 might last until at least 2044.
What will happen to diesel cars in Australia?
As Australia accelerates its transition to electric vehicles, some 7.6 million petrol and diesel automobiles are expected to be scrapped this decade. However, there are no national laws governing the disposal of end-of-life vehicles, just as there are no laws governing vehicle greenhouse emissions.
Is it worth buying a diesel car in 2021?
Simply said, if you drive a lot of high-speed miles on a regular basis, such as a regular highway commute rather than a lot of small excursions, you should get a diesel automobile. Diesel cars have higher fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts, as well as more torque for towing and other applications.
Diesel automobile prices are currently declining as a result of diesel’s demonization in recent years due to its health and environmental consequences. As a result, used diesel car costs seem appealing, but they are only suitable for a certain sort of driver. If you misuse a diesel car or purchase an older model, you could face high fines and perhaps be barred from driving in city centers.
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about deciding between a petrol and a diesel car. You might also be interested in our recommendations to the finest electric and hybrid cars, and if you’re considering of parting with your car, why not use our free online car valuation tool.
When will petrol and diesel cars be banned in the UK?
New gasoline and diesel cars will be phased out by 2030, with hybrid vehicles following in 2035.
Secondhand gasoline and diesel cars will continue to be accessible. However, because no new models are allowed to be marketed, they will eventually be phased out and replaced by electric vehicles.
Diesel car sales have been falling for a while
Due to its lower carbon emissions, buying a car with a diesel engine was long regarded to be the more environmentally beneficial alternative.
However, as a result of increased pollution levels, numerous authorities have increased taxes and fees on diesel automobiles, much to the dismay of many drivers who believed they were making the right choice for the environment.
Hybrid cars will also be banned
Hybrid vehicles were once thought to be the best option for environmentally aware drivers due to their fuel efficiency and semi-electric technology.
But that is no longer the case. New hybrid automobiles will be phased out in 2035, only 5 years after their gasoline and diesel equivalents. This could be due in part to new research indicating that they are not as environmentally beneficial as they appear.
What is the future of diesel fuel?
The future of diesel will be defined by four important strategies: even lower emissions, improved energy efficiency, increased use of low-carbon renewable biofuels, and hybridization. Diesel continues to be the most popular long-haul trucking technology, powering 97 percent of Class 8 big-rig trucks in the US.
Will Australia ban diesel cars?
If Australia is to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it must phase out the sale of new gasoline and diesel automobiles by 2035.
The Grattan Institute, a public policy think tank, has called on Australian governments to make electric vehicles cheaper and easier to charge in order to encourage a higher take-up rate in a wide-ranging research on the transport sector.
The paper recommends that the federal government implement a mandatory emissions restriction on Australia’s light vehicle fleet, which would be reduced to zero by 2035, thereby prohibiting the sale of petrol and diesel-powered cars, SUVs, and light commercial vehicles.
If the transition to EVs is not made quickly enough, the institute warns that an expensive “cash for clunkers” program may be required to remove petrol and diesel vehicles off our roads.
“The transport industry accounts for approximately 20% of Australia’s emissions, with light cars accounting for more than 60% of those emissions. As a result, the greatest method to reduce transportation emissions is to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, according to the authors of the paper.
This is the first of five reports planned by the Grattan Institute in the run-up to an international climate conference in Glasgow in November, which will explain how Australia can accelerate its transition to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Is 200 000 km on a diesel too much?
Buying a used automobile can be a difficult undertaking, and you need think about a lot of things before signing the final piece of paper. However, checking a used car’s odometer for the number of kilometers it has driven in its lifespan is one of the simplest methods to obtain a quick feel on its value and how much life it has left.
There are several factors to consider in addition to the odometer reading. The mogo team strives to place its customers in their ideal vehicle at the best possible price and to give you with as much information as possible about your future used automobile purchase. To aid in this endeavor, we’ve compiled a list of items to look for when purchasing a secondhand vehicle.
Condition
As previously stated, miles are not the only metric for determining how much use a secondhand car will get. While it provides a decent, if speculative, picture of how much abuse the used automobile has taken over the years, the overall condition of the used car is far more important.
If there is any visible bodywork damage, or if a used automobile reaches the crucial 200,000-kilometer milestone, its value drops dramatically. The latter, on the other hand, isn’t always a hint that the secondhand car isn’t in good shape.
It’s usually a good idea to look over a used car’s service history, because if it hasn’t been consistent, it could be a red flag. Most cars with a reliable service history and roughly 200,000 kilometers on the clock should be a good buy if the price is right.
Of course, rare, older automobiles will have huge numbers on the odometer, but if they’ve been well cared for by a conscientious owner, those statistics won’t mean nearly as much.
The Numbers on the Dashboard Tell the Story
It pays to conduct some research before buying a used automobile with a questionable number of kilometers on the odometer. There is a wealth of information available on the internet about which makes and models have stood the test of time and which have faltered.
A automobile travels roughly 20,000 kilometers per year on average, therefore if the vehicle in issue has traveled more than this, there are certainly better options available. Rust is another deal breaker because it will only get worse with time, and parts for imported cars are generally rather expensive.
Most cars with more than 300,000 kilometers aren’t worth your attention unless you have prior experience working on cars and the price is appealing.
At mogo, we work hard to match our users with the exact automobile they’re looking for, and we’ve developed a system that ensures they always receive the greatest deal! Join the mogo team today and start looking!
Are diesels going to be banned?
Nobody expects diesel to be officially outlawed, though some cities are likely to make the dirtiest types illegal. AdBlue and diesel particulate filters (DPF) are technologies that are designed to filter out soot particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, which have been related to health problems.
