JLR becomes first manufacturer to submit cars for new independent emissions test
AIR Index is an independent ‘real-world’ emissions test — and Jaguar Land Rover is the first firm to put its vehicles forward
Jaguar Land Rover has become the first car manufacturer to submit its cars to a new, independent ‘real-world’ emissions test.
The AIR Index has been established to show how harmful cars really are to the environment when used in real city driving, rather than laboratory conditions used for the official Euro 6 emissions standard. Unlike Euro 6, manufacturers do not have to legally meet set AIR Index standards.
JLR put forward three of its diesel vehicles for the test — 2019 model year examples of a Jaguar E-Pace HSE 2.0 180hp, Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0 180hp and a Range Rover Evoque TD4 2.0 180hp. Each received an ‘A’ rating on the index — meaning they were found to emit up to 80mg/km of NOx.
When the AIR Index test was launched last week, one of the cars independently tested included 2018 Land Rover Discovery 3.0 TD6, which was also awarded an ‘A’ rating. By contrast, a 2017 Renault Clio 1.5 TDCI was found to emit in excess of 600mg/km — receiving the lowest possible rating of ‘E’.
Current Euro 6c emissions regulations set a limit of 60mg/km of NOx for new diesel cars, and 80mg/km for petrols.
Rawdon Glover, Jaguar Land Rover UK’s MD, said: “We have been vocal about the benefits of diesel technology in recent years and I am delighted to see simple, clear and accurate consumer information about urban vehicle emissions published and available with the AIR Index.
“The performance of our vehicles on the AIR Index reflects Jaguar Land Rover’s investment in class-leading technology and its hard-working, talented engineers. There are some stand-out results here with the superb performance of our new Jaguar SUVs worthy of specific praise, disproving the notion that all diesel SUVs are ‘dirty’.”
