Report: 20% of Europe’s Trucks Exceed NOx Limit

A study of real-world emissions from diesel-powered commercial trucks in Europe suggests one in five exceeds nitrogen oxides emission limits.

The test of 141 trucks registered across Europe, Russia and Turkey detected NOx levels as much as twice the legal limit for Euro III, Euro V and Euro VI standards.

The study (published in German) was commissioned by German environmentalist group DUH (Environmental Action Germany). The research was conducted by Heidelberg University’s Institute for Environmental Physics on German roads.

Researchers did not attempt to discover whether the noncompliant trucks were fitted with cheater devices. But DUH says the high ratio of vehicles with excessive emissions indicates that the emission controls involved are either defective or have been manipulated.

The European Federation for Transport and Environment notes that a similar study in Austria found a similar rate of noncompliance. T&E suggests that the European Commission focus on conformity testing and better on-the-road monitoring when it formulates legislation for post-Euro VI emission standards.