研究顯示汽車尾氣排放檢測存在漏洞

Researchers have provided fresh evidence of a growing gap between vehicle emissions in laboratory tests and their performance on the road, as questions mount about the carmakers’ conduct in the wake of the Volkswagen scandal.

研究人員提供的最新證據表明，汽車在實驗室檢測中得出的尾氣排放值與它們在實際道路上行駛時的排放值之間差距越來越大。大衆汽車(Volkswagen)尾氣造假醜聞發生後，汽車製造商的操守受到越來越多的質疑。

One of the research groups that helped uncover the VW case published new data on Friday, claiming that carbon dioxide emissions in European road tests were on average 40 per cent higher than the official laboratory results advertised in car sales literature.

曾幫助揭穿大衆造假案的一家研究機構週五發佈最新數據，稱歐洲道路檢測中得出的二氧化碳排放量比汽車銷售宣傳冊中公佈的官方實驗室檢測結果平均高出40%。

The International Council on Clean Transportation, the environmental research body that led the research, said the figure was an “all-time high” and compared with a gap of just 10 per cent in 2003, though there was no suggestion that defeat devices were to blame.

領導此次研究的環境研究機構——國際清潔交通委員會（International Council on Clean Transportation，簡稱ICCT）表示，這一數字創下了“新高”，2003年兩者之間的差距僅爲10%，但該機構沒有將之歸因於欺騙裝置。

The ICCT aggregated research from six countries on almost 600,000 vehicles from at least nine carmakers to draw its conclusions.

ICCT彙總了對來自6個國家的至少9家汽車製造商的近60萬輛汽車的研究合後得出了上述結論。

“About three quarters of the gap between laboratory test results and real-world driving is explained by vehicle manufacturers exploiting loopholes in the current regulation,” said Peter Mock, managing director of the ICCT in Europe.

ICCT駐歐洲的董事總經理彼得莫克(Peter Mock)表示：“就實驗室檢測結果與實際道路表現之間的差距而言，約四分之三緣於汽車製造商在利用當前監管的漏洞。”

Carmakers are known to “game” an outdated laboratory regime using perfectly legal methods such as overinflating tyres to reduce rolling resistance or fully recharging a vehicle’s battery before testing.

很多人都知道，汽車製造商會利用完全合法的手段來鑽過時的實驗室檢測系統的空子，例如給輪胎過量充氣來減少滾動阻力，或者在檢測前重新給汽車電池完全充電。

The rest of the gap is explained by technologies that have a greater effect in the lab than on the road, such as stop-start systems that turn off the engine in stationary traffic. Equipment that tends to increase fuel consumption, such as air conditioning, is also turned off during lab tests.

實驗室檢測與實際道路檢測結果差異的其餘部分，緣於一些技術在實驗室中的效果優於在實際道路行駛時，例如在交通堵塞時關閉引擎的“啓停”系統。一些會增加油耗的設備，比如空調，在實驗室檢測中也會被關閉。

European regulators are pushing to bring in a new test regime from 2017. They also plan to introduce real-world testing for Nox emissions in the same year.

歐洲監管機構正推動從2017年起引入新的檢測系統。他們還計劃在同一年推出針對氮氧化物排放的實際道路檢測系統。

While the VW case centred on diesel engines and Nox emissions, the latest research from ICCT focuses on CO2 and includes both petrol and diesel variants.

大衆案的核心是柴油引擎和氮氧化物排放，ICCT的最新研究則關注的是二氧化碳排放，研究對象既包括汽油車也包括柴油車。

The European manufacturers’ body, Acea, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the figures.

歐洲製造商機構——歐洲汽車製造商協會(ACEA)沒有立即迴應記者就這些數據置評的請求。

As for the VW scandal, Acea has said there is “no evidence that this is an industry-wide issue”.

至於大衆的醜聞，ACEA表示，“沒有證據證明這是一個全行業的問題”。

However, carmakers’ share prices are showing extreme volatility amid the swirling media coverage of the VW crisis.

然而，在媒體鋪天蓋地報道大衆的危機的情況下，汽車製造商的股價波動得很劇烈。

BMW shares fell as much as 9 per cent on Thursday after a German magazine published a story that highlighted the emissions performance of one of its vehicles during a road test.

寶馬(BMW)股價週四一度下跌9%。此前，一家德國雜誌發佈了一篇報道，着重提到了一款寶馬汽車在尾氣實際道路檢測中的表現。

The shares recovered some ground to close down 5 per cent after BMW issued a statement saying it “does not manipulate or rig any emissions tests”.

在寶馬發佈聲明稱“未操縱任何尾氣檢測”後，該公司股價收復了一些失地，最終在昨日收跌5%。

“Two studies carried out by the ICCT have confirmed that the BMW X5 and 13 other BMW vehicles tested comply with the legal requirements concerning Nox emissions,” the company added.

寶馬還表示：“ICCT展開的兩項研究證實，接受檢測的寶馬X5和其他13款寶馬汽車符合關於氮氧化物排放的法定要求。”