Jaguar Land Rover Boss Defends Diesel Engines
Don’t expect Jaguar Land Rover to give up on diesel engines anytime soon.
While some automakers are pulling away from diesel engines following Volkswagen’s scandal, Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth is going on the defensive, attacking the “demonization” of modern diesel engines. Speaking to Autocar, Speth confirmed the British automaker will continue to promote modern diesel technology, adding that diesels are important in meeting strict emissions regulations. “The latest diesel technology is really such a step in emissions, performance, particulates; it’s better for the environment when compared to petrol,” he said. “Diesel has to – needs to – have a future.”
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Speth believes diesel technology serves as a bridge to ensure emissions continues to fall until hybrid and electric vehicles become more common. He suggested Volkswagen’s diesel scandal kicked off the demonization of modern diesel engines but added that the entire industry suffers because the German automaker used manipulation software, not just Volkswagen itself.
He also admitted that electric vehicles are the future of the industry, while fuel cells are “poor from an environmental point of view.”
Jaguar Land Rover is aiming to have about 25 to 30 percent of its sales to be of electric cars by 2025. In the near future – by 2020 – half of the automaker’s models will come with some form of electrification.
[Source: Autocar]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Diesel has been rightly demonized. Most diesels from all manufacturers still greatly exceed Euro6 NOx limits in all normal driving. Because of this scofflaw behaviour, there is an air pollution crisis. Yet Speth says how great diesel emissions are without mentioning NOx.