Dear Alex,
I have a 2014 Audi A5 Coupe with a 3.0-litre diesel engine and live in Surrey, within the extended ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) area to be introduced in the capital this August. My car will not be compliant.
l use it to travel to work as there is no public transport near my office; the Ulez charge will cost me an extra £250 per month or £3,000 per year. Can my car or any other newish diesel be modified to make it compliant? If not, are there any fuel additives that can achieve the same effect?
– AH
Dear AH,
No matter what you do to your car’s engine, its emissions classification will remain the same as it was when it was first registered.
Personally, I think the damage these new regulations will inflict on countless lower-income households around Greater London that can ill afford it at this point, and simply don’t have the same public transport infrastructure to fall back on as is available further into the city, is unconscionable.
Just like you, many will be forced to choose between the huge cost of paying the new charges or the huge cost of upgrading their cars, with very little help toward either option.
Before you do anything, though, it might be worth trying to get your car exempted; as we’ve already discussed on these pages, you can do this by getting hold of its certificate of compliance, which is best done either through your dealer or through Audi UK.
This will show the exact emissions your car is rated to produce. If these fall below the Euro 6 standards (even if the car itself is not Euro 6-compliant), Transport for London (TfL) should exempt your car on an individual basis.
Of course, if the certificate of compliance doesn’t show figures that comply, that avenue is closed to you. In which case, your best bet is probably to switch to a compliant car – with either a Euro 4-compliant petrol engine or a Euro 6 diesel.
How can I make my Audi Ulez-compliant?
As the Telegraph's motoring expert, I weigh in on your car dilemmas to save you money and make your driving life easier