Suffering from bad publicity, diesel cars are gradually being abandoned by users when buying a vehicle . Do they really pollute more? Are they really more profitable than gasoline? Answers with ferrets.
A fuel that is not popular
Flagship fuel of the 2000s, thanks in particular to state subsidies, diesel is no longer so popular. As a result of “Dieselgate” and the “low emission” policies of major European cities, sales of diesel-powered vehicles are only falling .
If in 2012, in France, they represented 64.4% of sales to individuals, last year this figure did not exceed 38%. Since mid-2014, gasoline car sales have officially exceeded diesel sales . And this trend should take hold.
Indeed, last year, Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, had declared: “We are in the process of gradually removing very old vehicles, the most polluting vehicles until a complete ban on diesel vehicles in 2020 “
A concrete example of this desire is the introduction of the Crit’Air sticker , which prohibits vehicles registered before 1997 from driving in certain areas of the capital because they do not meet the most recent Euro standards.
Of course, let’s keep in mind that some diesel vehicles are classified as Euro 5 and 6 , the most recent and the least polluting . For the motorist fearing to be prohibited in certain cities, only the most polluting vehicles are concerned , whatever their type of engine.
Are diesel cars really more polluting?
They are not more polluting in themselves, but they pollute differently . They actually emit 20% less CO2 . However, they emit more fine particles , which are extremely toxic to health.
Diesels, really cheaper?
Although diesel suffers from bad publicity, this does not prevent it from still benefiting today from state subsidies . Thus, at the pump, it is always cheaper than unleaded. 95% of professional vehicle fleets still run on diesel because they benefit from an advantageous VAT .
In addition to benefiting from cheaper fuel, diesel vehicles also consume 15% less than gasoline . Another positive point, they are resold more expensive , because their stronger engine gives them a better rating.
It is estimated that to make the purchase of a diesel car profitable, you have to drive at least 20,000 km . In fact, it is considered that 7 motorists out of 10 do not reach this threshold . During mainly city use, there is the added risk of faster wear of certain mechanical parts .
We talk about “making profitable” a diesel vehicle, because it costs on average 20% more to buy . It is also more expensive to maintain . The “big rollers” therefore have more advantage of buying a diesel model. If you are a small rider , choose a petrol model .
And in terms of insurance?
The cost of car insurance for a diesel vehicle is generally 10 to 15% more expensive than for a gasoline one. Insurers apply this increase because diesels are stolen more than gasolines and that in case of repair, the parts cost more .
