German Officials Say New Diesel Cars Are No Better Than Gasoline Ones

According to the German Transport Ministry, buying a new diesel car doesn't mean you'll be damaging the environment any less than with a new petrol-powered vehicle.

The Funke group cited an answer from the Transport Ministry, indicating that diesel cars registered last year emitted 128 grams of CO2/km, whereas on average, new petrol cars emitted 129 grams.

This difference in emissions has been similar for the past 10 years, however, the amount of CO2 has gone down. Still, one of the reasons why CO2 values were almost identical was because of diesel cars being heavier and more powerful, reports Autonews.

"It's a myth that diesel helps protect the climate," stated Stephan Kuehn, transport expert for the Greens in Germany's lower house of parliament. "Diesel motors squander the theoretical advantages they could bring for the environment by often being built into heavy, high-powered cars."

This development comes on the heels of the German Transport Ministry wanting to recall approximately 12 million older diesels (Euro 4, 5 and 6), which would in turn cost automakers between €1.5 to €2.5 billion ($1.68 - $2.8 billion).