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Give Incentives for Diesel Cars

Posted on: Sunday, 12 March 2006, 21:00 CST

By Azam Mohd

Dear Sir,

What is wrong with this table? I'll tell you what is wrong; the diesel car is better in ALL categories against a similar capacity petrol car!

This is not supposed to be true because diesel is only good for trucks and taxis, and has no performance. These diesel vehicles are also noisy and smelly.

Well, welcome to the new diesel world.

Modern diesels are MORE powerful (power and torque), MORE economical and LESS polluting than petrol. A diesel engine is more efficient and lasts a lot longer with less maintenance. But why is diesel taxed double than petrol?

I don't know the real reason but it could probably be because diesel is `dirtier'. Well looking at the CO2 figures, diesel emits less.

With particulate filters, diesel is no more `sootier' than petrol. If we happen to pass a late model diesel car on the road with smoky tail pipe, it could be because of the quality of diesel rather than the vehicle itself. Furthermore, in Europe the fuel quality is now at Euro4 and all 2006 vehicles must be certified to Euro4 Standards which is much friendlier to the environment.

In light of the high cost of fuel now, the government must allow diesel cars to be taxed similarly to petrol or even less than petrol. Incentives should be given to diesel, NGV or hydrogen vehicles or other less polluting or more efficient vehicles to help protect the environment and also to reduce cost of transportation.

The time is ripe for the government to address this issue since it has already raised fuel prices but without looking at the other factors that are related to it such as this.

Source: New Straits Times

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