More Bailout Madness - £1.5Billion To Stimulate More Sales Of Diesel Cars

[Gromit]

The UK car industry has been in talks with the government, asking for £1.5bn scrappage scheme or “market stimulus package” that it insists should encourage the purchase of diesel and petrol cars.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/03/uk-car-industry-pushes-for-scrappage-scheme-to-help-buy-new-petrol-and-diesel-vehicles

I could understand a scheme to scrap dirty polluting diesel cars and replace them with hybrid/electric cleaner cars. But the taxpayer should not be funding a discount on diesel cars. People aren’t buying them because people don’t want them.

[ToraToraTora]

I agree gromit the last thing we want to do in encourage purchase of diesel cars. I can see some merit in scrappage of old diesels but only for hybrids with petrol or pure electric. Do you not think this is the Grauniad spinning this? Personally I think we have higher bailout priorities than the motor industry, their lack of sales will correct itself after this is over so probably a bit of lip service being paid to the motor manufacturers here.

[douglas9401]

"dirty polluting diesel cars" can be taken care of at the MOT centre by way of emmissions testing.

Ordinary, everyday diesel cars will go along just fine thanks, despite hyteria.

[naomi24]

//More Bailout Madness //

Rather a hysterical reaction when nothing's been agreed.

[Gromit]

The ‘confidential’ talks have probably been leaked to the Guardian by someone who is against the idea.
That might be the Treasury, an Environmentalist or a pinko Civil Servant.

Douglas,
The Government have already indicated a ban on all diesels in 2035. The last thing they want to encourage is people buying new ones.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40726868

[douglas9401]

"indicated" is hardly tablets of stone stuff, Gromit.

Governments make stuff up, even lie to get off the hook with pressure groups etc knowing full well that by the time any aspirational date is reached they'll be warming the red benches at £300 a day plus committees and the devil take the hindmost.

[mushroom25]

// The Government have already indicated a ban on all diesels in 2035. //

oddly enough, the rail industry (on the other hand) has been committed to diesel power for the next 35-40 years by the government's cancellation or curtailment of all electrification schemes, forcing rail operators down the hybrid route.these trains are needed now, not in 10 years time when the hydrogen conundrum (the need for 10 times the storage space for the same amount of diesel fuel energy) might have been solved. so they have to be diesel.

[youngmafbog]

Depends. 2035 is 15 years so for most more than enough life still in them - and thats assuming they do actually do it and that is debatable.

Euro6 Diesels are actually not as bad as made out by some and for some applications such as vans trucks and lorries are at the moment the only real alternative. i know as I just looked to buy and electric van, The only one with anywhere near enough mileage (and that sinks if loaded) is the Nissan. And it accelerates like a pig.

So while I am right behond getting rid of oil burners (and petrol) at present we are not there with the alternatives at all. Especially given making the batteries is an environmental disaster in itself let alone the making of them.