Carbon dioxide (CO2) is not lethal in average concentrations and occurs naturally in the atmosphere.
It is necessary for life on the planet, because it is essential for the photosynthesis process of plants and to maintain the temperature on Earth. However, the excessive concentration causes the “greenhouse effect”, which increases the temperature of the planet and unbalances the natural cycle.
The increase in electric car sales and manufacturers’ efforts to develop more efficient combustion engines have led to:
the average emissions of new cars is 44% lower than the entire fleet in Spain, according to MSI data for Unoauto.
Currently, the measurement of the CO2 emissions of the cars sold is 77 grams, a figure that is far from the 138 g/km of the total fleet. This difference is mainly due to:
Spanish cars are older than ever, with an average age of 13.5 years, it is one of the oldest parks in Europe.
In addition, the average CO2 emissions of new cars are falling year after year. Average emissions in 2019 were 118 g/km, in 2020 they fell to 110, in 2021 to 81; and, as early as 2022, the aforementioned 77.
This downward trajectory will continue its unstoppable path, as
MSI Forecasts point out that 2023 will end with 71 g/km of CO2, which represents a reduction of 40% compared to sales in 2019 and 49% compared to the fleet as a whole.
This data shows the importance of governments shifting their strategy towards sustainable mobility, as they are making every effort to encourage the purchase of zero-emission vehicles, when the real problem lies in the age of the fleet and the urgency of removal. of older, more polluting and more unsafe vehicles from traffic. According to
Ignacio Garcia Roji, Sumauto analyst, “Institutions should seek other types of support that encourage purchase as:
the moving plan As it is presented, it does not have the desired effect. These measures should focus on the base of the park, the oldest cars and it is a base that is getting wider. We go to a park in the shape of a pyramid. Somehow you have to put an expiration date on older vehicles that are not considered suitable for mobility.
However, the pressure is centered on the new vehicle, despite the fact that it is more efficient and less polluting in its own right. At this rate of registration, decarbonisation of mobility will be excruciatingly slow, despite the urgency of the administrations’ messages, hence the need to develop policies responsive to the fleet and its obsolescence.
Currently, the government is offering the Moves III, limited to electric and plug-in hybrids. However, Unoauto believes that:
extend this help to all ECO modelshybrid or gas-powered, as well as C-labelled vehicles with CO2 emissions of less than 120 g/km, would provide a threefold benefit.
First, it would boost sales in a sector that is the engine of the economy; It would then help users to buy a new car at a time when buying a car costs an average of 20,500 euros according to the tax authorities and the family economy is stuck with rising rates and inflation; and finally, it would be beneficial to the treasury, as it aids in tax filing, since, as more cars are sold, they get back through taxes what has been invested.
The Moves aims to electrify the park at a forced pace and, on the other hand, capture the spirit of the
scrap schedule It would help to rejuvenate the Spanish fleet and, according to the conclusions of the Unoauto experts, would be the most consistent option to quickly remove the most polluting cars from our roads.
But CO2 is not the only thing that comes out of the exhaust pipes of the vehicles circulating on our roads. These are the main gases emitted, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), lead compounds, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter.
The
carbon monoxide (CO) It usually occurs in gasoline engines (a little less in diesel) when combustion is incomplete due to an excess of fuel or lack of oxygen in the mixture. It is a highly toxic gas that can cause death if inhaled because this molecule displaces O2 in red blood cells. Hundreds of people die every year as a result of CO emissions from boilers in poor condition.
Other substances that we regularly find in car exhaust pipes are HC, or
unburnt hydrocarbons or partially burned. They are poisonous and can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and lungs. They can be present in both petrol and diesel engines.
She also
benzopyrenes , these are solid particles generated by the combustion of diesel. Besides polluting the air and promoting the formation of smog (clouds of smoke in cities), they are highly carcinogenic.
In the combustion process they also generate
sulfur oxides, due to the sulfur impurities present in the fuels. Currently, its production has been greatly reduced due to expensive “desulphurization” processes in the fuel distillation process. Its presence is greater in diesel. They are the cause of acid rain.
Concerning the
nitrogen oxides (NOx)These are found in diesel engines, but they are also increasingly common in direct injection gasoline engines, which increasingly operate with higher compression ratios and non-stoichiometric mixtures to improve performance and reduce fuel consumption.
There are different types of nitrogen oxides, which is why they are all commonly referred to as NOx.
NONE and NO2 they tend to oxidize with the oxygen in the atmosphere and convert to NO3. This molecule is very dangerous because it tends to associate with hydrogen (also present in humidity) and turns into HNO3, which is nitric acid. Molecules of N2O can also be formed, which are very stable, with a life cycle of about 170 years and are very dangerous because they destroy ozone and are more potent and cause the greenhouse effect.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
