| The global community's effort to curb the global | | | | Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the bureau pointed |
| warming problem is increasing with automakers doing | | | | out diesel engines produces more greenhouse gas |
| their share. Automobiles produce the most greenhouse | | | | than vehicles equipped with gasoline engines. "Currently |
| gas which is the main contributor to global warming. | | | | pollutants produced by diesel vehicles pose more |
| Thus automakers are looking for ways to produce | | | | serious environmental problems in Beijing than those |
| vehicles which produces little or no greenhouse gas at | | | | produced by gasoline engine vehicles," said the |
| all. | | | | government official. |
| Toyota is leading the charge with the Prius. The said | | | | Diesel engines come with bad reputations because the |
| model is a gas-electric hybrid meaning it has an internal | | | | diesel engines of the 70s produced black soot for |
| combustion engine and an electric motor. These | | | | emission and are very noisy during operation. The |
| provide the power needed by the car. | | | | emission of earlier diesel engines indeed poses a |
| Although gas-electric hybrid vehicles produce very little | | | | stronger threat than gasoline engine exhaust. |
| greenhouse gas due to the fact that it does not need | | | | Apparently, the Chinese government is still affected by |
| to burn petroleum fuel all the time, it is still not the | | | | the said facts and of course the result of their studies |
| perfect solution to cutting down greenhouse gas | | | | on diesel engines. |
| production. Automakers are also experimenting with | | | | The Chinese bureau pointed out that the ban on diesel |
| other technology like cleaner diesel engines. | | | | vehicles in Beijing will only be lifted once diesel engines |
| Today, European automakers are the ones more | | | | have become as clean as gasoline engines. "We will |
| focused on the development of clean diesel engines. | | | | consider removing the ban once light diesel vehicles |
| Volkswagen went as far as launching the Dieselution | | | | can meet the same emission standards as light petrol |
| Tour to promote diesel-engined vehicles to American | | | | vehicles," said Du. |
| consumers. The said tour aims to educate people of | | | | "About one third of the major pollutants in Beijing's air -- |
| the virtues of new diesel engines. | | | | nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and inhalant |
| In Beijing though, the government is still implementing its | | | | particulate matter -- come from vehicle exhaust |
| ban on light diesel vehicles. The Beijing Environmental | | | | emissions. Tougher standards will help relieve the |
| Protection Bureau is the responsible department for | | | | situation," continued Du according to The Auto Channel. |
| the ban and the position of the bureau is not favorable | | | | With this stance, it would take more than an Acura CL |
| to automakers manufacturing diesel vehicles. | | | | cargo liner to lift the ban on diesel engines in Beijing. |