Pierre R : As you come from car business and are involved in the preservation of the environment, can you tell me what is your opinion about the various motor technologies ? First, diesel motor with particle filter? Is it really performing?
Didier D : A filter allows less particles in the air but doesn’t solve the serious problem of the greenhouse gazes which is worsening in a lot of countries and might prevent them to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol.
PR : Fuel cell ? When will it be really available in the market, I mean on a middle size car at the same price level as the current vehicle’s one?
DD : The fuel cell car will not be available before 30 years ! According to a recent report of the French Senate, from the industrial view point, the massive extension of the use of the fuel cell technology in the transport industry is not feasible yet.
PR : Diesel oil / electric hybrid vehicle : is it really a solution ? Is there not some bluff here and just nebulous advertising, as its impact on the greenhouse effect is between -30 and +30%?
DD : The gasoline / electric hybrid technology is not a bad one in case of the Toyota Prius ( I have one ); in average driving conditions, it consumes 4,3 litters / km and emits 104g CO2 / km ( instead of 163g for an average European car ). However buying a luxury or 4WD Lexus car because of its gasoline/electric hybrid function is just ignorance or cynicism, because they are heavy vehicles with big engines of which the hybrid advantage is negligible compared to their level of pollution. The diesel / electric hybrid technology is not available yet. This future technology should have less negative impacts on the environment. There are also the full electric car which will become more autonomous and soon the plug-in hybrid vehicle car, but what about the pollutions emitted by the production of electricity …?
PR : Natural gas, your opinion ?
DD : Natural gas is less polluting than the traditional fuels but this is a fossil one with greenhouse effect too …
PR : Ethanol from biomass ? Real solution or political solution to calm down the farmers ?
DD : Biofuel can just solve a very small part of the problem (1) and has perverted impacts on the environment (2).
Conclusion : the best way to avoid car pollution is to avoid using your car. If you really need one, purchase one of the less powerful and polluting cars and drive smoothly. When you choose a new residence or a new job think about non polluting commuting. Encourage your commune to develop segregated cycle facilities and public transports. Each time you have the opportunity, test public transports, you will discover the pleasure to watch the world around you and to meet people. Develop car sharing in your residence and work area. For your holidays and week-ends instead of travelling by car choose train, boat, cycling, horse-riding, hiking, … but no plane ( this is the most polluting way of transportation ). Finally, don’t rely too much on new technologies to solve the environment problems but on change of behaviour.
(1) : transforming all the agricultural lands of France in biofuel resources would not be enough to provide enough fuel to all its cars
(2) : use of fertilizer and polluting vehicles and processes to produce biofuel, devastation of the rain forest in South East Asia to produce palm oil to be exported in Europe, …
Didier – World citizen