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Diesel-powered vehicles are favoured by many motorists as they are generally more economical than petrols. Now is a good time to buy a diesel, as the facts on this page show. It is worth keeping in mind that Ford petrol engines are more efficient than ever and depending on your situation, these may offer beffer fuel efficiency overall. The Ford EcoBoost engine is the perfect example of a petrol engine offering fantastic efficiency, but of course Ford diesel engines still provide excellent range and mileage.
The new diesel cars and vans coming off the production line are the cleanest ever made. Their filters capture 99 percent of all soot particles and exhaust after-treatments, which has helped to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 84 percent since 2000. Overall, NOx emissions from passenger cars in the UK have fallen by 81 percent since 1990, the largest drop of any sector.
One reason for these huge reductions in pollutants is that UK vehicle emissions standards are some of the strictest in the world. Euro 6 standards came into force in September 2015 to set even stricter requirements (source: SMMT). In real-world testing, London buses that meet Euro 6 requirements have shown a 95 percent drop on NOx emissions when compared to a Euro 5 model (source: Transport for London). Cars and vans are the second biggest contributor to NOx emissions behind electricity generation. It would take 42 million Euro 6 diesel cars to generate the same amount of NOx as a large coal-fired power station.
The fuel type has also helped to prevent millions of tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Diesel cars sold since 2002 have contributed to a saving of nearly three million tonnes of CO2 (source: SMMT).
If diesel vehicles didn’t exist, average fuel usage among new cars sold in the UK would be 11 percent higher. This would translate to an extra £315,000,000 in fuel expenses for Britain’s motorists (source: SMMT).
Massive investments are being made into new diesel technology to improve the cleanliness and economy of cars and vans. Manufacturers spent £1 billion in 2014 alone which created 1,700 jobs (source: SMMT).
During 2015 it is predicted that almost 900,000 diesel engines will be manufactured to a value of £2.8 billion. Approximately 85 percent of them will be exported (source: SMMT).
These vehicles travel 118 billion miles each year. Diesel cars also cover 60 percent more miles than petrol equivalents.
*Please note, details above are correct at time of publishing. When choosing your vehicle, customers should consider their own driving styles, needs and budgets before making a decision. The information above is intended to provide clarity but should not be reviewed in isolation. Make sure you speak with a member of the Gates Ford team before making any financial decisions.*