Delhi air ‘dirtier’ than what our vehicles emit: JLR

In a strong criticism of the ban on high-end diesel car sales, Tata-owned luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover has said the air sucked in by its latest technology vehicles on Delhi roads is “far dirtier” than what they emit.

“The latest EU VI regulation schemes have got technical features, which (can) clean the air in Delhi. These kind of vehicles drive like a Hoover... The air they suck in is far dirtier than the air which comes out of it,” CEO of the U.K.-based JLR Ralph Speth told PTI.

JLR is among the automobile companies hit hard by the apex court’s order in December last year banning registration of diesel SUVs and cars above 2000 cc in the entire National Capital Region till March 31. Lashing out at the order, he said: “If you ban these kind of vehicles, I don’t understand. Sorry it is over my horizon.”

He said if the aim is to reduce pollution and improve air quality then a comprehensive measure has to be taken, including banning of old cars and controlling other sources of pollution and “not just come up with a single solution, exactly with wrong advice and wrong technology.”

Expressing disappointment at the Supreme Court order, Mr.Speth said: “I am an engineer. It (the order) has nothing to do with market and nothing to do with anything. What triggered such a decision from a technology point of view? From a technological point of view this kind of decision is unreasonable.”

To overcome the ban, JLR is looking at bringing in more petrol variants of its different models. The company is already selling petrol variants of the Jaguar XJ, Range Rover Sport. It has also unveiled two petrol variants of the new Jaguar XE.