The mayors of Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens have said that they will stop the use of all diesel-powered cars and trucks by the middle of the next decade, so by 2025. The implementation of this ban will help in improving the air quality of the respective cities. This commitment was made in Mexico at a biennial meeting of city leaders.
Diesel powered vehicles have come under a lot of scrutiny in the recent years and even the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that close to three million deaths every year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution.
As we know, diesel engines produce particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), and PM in particular has been responsible for respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Nitrogen oxides too aggravate breathing difficulties. Clearly, the problem is worsening and though banning diesel powered vehicles might be one way of clamping down on this situation, it's not just the car makers but the consumer who will suffer, because of this decision.
The leaders said that they will give incentives for alternative vehicle use and promote walking and cycling. But even car makers will realise that if four cities can take this decision, others are bound to follow. Manufacturers, therefore, will look to alternate fuels like electric and hydrogen cars and hybrids. While there's a lot of work already in all these fields, some research will need to be fast tracked. In fact, we'll have most manufacturers, like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and even BMW expand its electric/plug-in hybrid car portfolio by 2020 itself but others will now need to have a strategy in place.
