You may know that the editorial staff jumped for joy when it was announced that the maximum speed of 130 km/h could be restored. Although it is still uncertain whether and where we will be allowed to drive the 130. Now this decision mainly concerns nitrogen emissions and therefore local pollution, but the climate does not necessarily benefit from it. This is demonstrated by research conducted by the Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM). The team investigated the ideal top speed for the lowest carbon dioxide emissions.
Naturally, emissions are higher as speed increases. For example, a car emits approximately 1.4 times more carbon dioxide at 130 km/h than at 100 km/h. If you calculate deeper, we see that emissions at 50 km/h are roughly half the CO2 emissions emitted at 100 km/h. After that, the decline stops, according to the researchers.
“This is due to internal friction in the fuel engine. This still consumes energy even when idling, making driving very slowly inefficient. Gasoline-powered cars use more fuel per distance traveled at lower speeds,” she said. Kim. This does not apply to electric cars, but they do not emit any carbon dioxide locally anyway.
Ideal top speed for lowest CO2 emissions
Therefore, the Institute concludes: “A policy that attaches great importance to reducing climate damage could aim for speeds that do not exceed the maximum speed.” 50-60 km/h hatching.’ This higher speed offers further advantages in addition to lower CO2 emissions: “Noise and road safety effects also benefit from the lower speed.”
On the other hand, we all spend more time in the car. According to KiM, if the Cabinet wants short travel times and therefore high top speeds, additional investment in “appropriate measures” must be made. If the government does not do this, policymakers will have to accept that emissions and noise pollution will increase and safety will decline.
