Die Kosten des Dieselbooms

Background

In many European states the number of cars equipped with diesel engines has dramatically increased since around ten years. This situation is quantified for Germany. Driven by the political motivation to reduce CO₂-emissions, increase of diesel cars has been stimulated by governmental measures of European as well as state bodies in co-operation with the industry.

Results

Reduction of CO₂-emissions with the help of diesel cars remained relatively small. On contrast, diesel cars are emitting much more of nitric oxides and fine particles compared with gasoline driven cars. Excess emissions by the ‘diesel boom’ are quantified. Health costs and impact on agricultural crops as well as on forestry are estimated with respect to the order of magnitude. Health costs caused by the inhalation of diesel combustion particles emitted by only the excess diesel cars in Germany are in the order of 200 Mio Euro per year. Knowledge gaps of the impact of ultra fine particles as well as of the action of particle traps are demonstrated.

Conclusion and Recommendation

In the public, particle numbers need to be discussed instead of particle emission loads (g km^?1) which have an insufficient correlation to health effects. Much more data are needed as to the toxicologically relevant particle size of <20 nm. Effectiveness and sustainability of a CO₂-reduction strategy by diesel cars are generally questioned.