by Gabrielle DeSantis

After years of debating, most automakers finally agree that emissions have become a real problem for our environment. Governments and automakers have worked together to produce timelines for the elimination of gas-powered vehicles in their lineups. Introducing electric vehicles will lead to less harmful emissions in our environment but is that really all we can do to help save the planet? What if there was a vehicle that didn’t just avoid creating harmful emissions, it combated them?

The fight against emissions

A decade ago, emissions didn’t seem like such a pressing issue to the average consumer, the government, and especially most automakers. Today it’s hard to ignore the issue looming behind the introduction of many new EV and hybrid vehicles. The fight against harmful emissions has begun, and most major automakers have committed to doing their part, but is it enough?

Automakers like Nissan and Toyota have been early supporters of alternative fuel sources. Tesla has strived to make electric vehicles popular for almost two decades. Automakers may be doing their part to reduce future pollution, but what about existing pollution? As far-fetched as it seems, there actually is a vehicle that can actively reduce existing pollution.

The car that eats pollution

The Zhiji Airo concept car may look more like a pile of Cool Whip or abstract art than an automobile but don’t judge, this thing is here to save the day. Thomas Heatherwick designed the Zhiji Airo. The Airo was created to be the polar opposite of a gas-powered vehicle. Instead of creating emissions that are harmful to the environment, it gets rid of them.

Thomas is an architect by trade. He is responsible for designing the Google headquarters in London and California. The IM Motors Zhiji Airo is actually Thomas’ first car design ever. IM Motors wanted an unconventional design and Thomas was the perfect person for the job. The Zhiji Airo not only looks disruptive, it is also disruptive. But how will this Michellin Man-shaped car save the world?

The Zhiji Airo is the first superhero car

Calling the Zhiji Airo, Thomas, and the folks at IM Motors heroes may seem like hyperbole but let’s consider the novelty of this vehicle. As innovative as Tesla is, its vehicles are more beneficial to the future than the present. The Zhiji Airo lives in the now. EVs may create a cleaner future, but someone has to deal with the smoggy present, and IM Motors has stepped up to the plate.

According to BBC News, the Zhiji Airo helps clean our air supply by filtering air through its front grille. Some argue that the amount of air filtered by the Airo compared to the amount of polluted air would be extremely insignificant. This is a fair point but imagine the possibilities if the Airo became popular in China, then in other parts of the world. Governments and automakers have been so concerned with the future that it seems people are forgetting the present environmental crisis.

The Zhiji Airo also includes an interior unlike any other existing automobile. The interior was designed as an alternative space and resembles a luxurious train compartment more than the cabin of a car. The Zhiji Airo was created to disrupt the automotive industry and produce a one-of-a-kind experience that helps protect the environment. A million units are expected to be produced as early as 2023 in China. While other automakers plan for a better tomorrow, IM Motors hopes to create cleaner air today.

RELATED: 5 Worst Automakers for Gas Mileage and Emissions

The post The Car That Eats Pollution Instead of Causing It appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Dieselgate was a watershed moment in environmental law. It was also a very, very public case. Now, both Volkswagen and BMW have been accused of more emissions tampering, but more on that later. Now, it’s important to understand what Deiselgate was, why it was a big deal, and how it affected both manufacturers and the legal climate surrounding them.

What was Dieselgate?

The Volkswagen emissions scandal most call “Dieselgate” dates back to September of 2015. Then, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice to Volkswagen for violation of the Clean Air Act. However, the notice wasn’t given strictly to VW, it was given to the entire Volkswagen Group, including Audi and Porsche. Now, VW makes an engine called the “Turbocharged Direct Injection” motor (or something more German-sounding). This TDI motor was the subject of the notice.

The EPA alleged, and later found, that the Volkswagen Group had been intentionally reprogramming these TDI motors during emissions testing. I’m sure you can see where this is going. Basically, Dieselgate occurred because VW was falsifying emissions during testing, then reprogramming the cars when they went out for sale. At the end of it all, the group was given a very, very hefty fine and we all got quite the Netflix special out of the whole ordeal.

Both VW and BMW are in hot water

Now, Volkswagen is in hot water for emissions again. This time, the group was fined along with BMW and Daimler. According to Reuters, the European Commission, responsible for enforcing the EU’s laws, has fined both VW and BMW an incomprehensible one billion U.S. dollars. At the end of Dieselgate, Volkswagen Group paid out a massive $9.5 billion. So, that’s not as bad, but still more money than most people will ever earn in their lifetimes. It’s important to note that both VW and BMW paid the combined billion-dollar fine.

So, what happened? Well, at a conference European Union antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager stated that VW, BMW and Mercedes parent company Daimler possessed the technology to reduce emissions to less than required by law and failed to do so, hence the fine. Note that Daimler was not fined for revealing to the EU what everyone was doing. Importantly, this sets what is called “precedent”.

How can we prevent this from happening?

Ideally, precedent is what keeps this from happening again. It’s a legal term that means that a principle or rule has been established in a previous case, like this one. In the future, lawmakers may refer to this ruling to enforce punishment in similar situations. This is a case of morality v.s. legal principle. The companies were fined for not doing more to reduce emissions when they had the ability to. They were, as far as we know, perfectly compliant with the law. These kinds of rulings by the EU are hopefully going to incentivize companies to do more to fight climate change. For now, rulings like these are only going to help in mankind’s fight against its own carbon footprint.

RELATED: Does anyone buy Volkswagen Diesel Cars Anymore?

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