Category: World
Electric cars and particulate matter: how do they go together?
Air pollution has been with us since the beginning of industrialisation. It is omnipresent, especially in cities. However, with technological progress and the relocation of factories away from city centres, air quality has improved in most wealthy countries. A major source of air pollution, the internal combustion engine, seems to be slowly being replaced by electric cars. But are electric cars really the environmentally friendly alternative they appear to be?
Water shortages and the emergence of new environmental zones - climate change and its impact on soil moisture
The climate crisis, one of the greatest challenges of our time, is becoming ever more tangible and its effects ever more evident. Paradoxically, one of the main causes of the alarming rise in CO2 emissions is the lack of water. This leads to dry soil, which in turn produces more particulate matter and favours the creation of new environmental zones.
Bangkok suffocates in smog
Air pollution in the Thai metropolis of Bangkok is alarming. According to IQAir, a company specialising in international air quality monitoring, particulate matter levels are currently 15 times higher than recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This makes Bangkok one of the ten most polluted cities in the world.
Sandstorm and particulate matter: battling the elements in China
The relentless and unstoppable force of nature has once again manifested itself in China in the form of a massive sandstorm that has been raging in the north-west of the country since mid-February 2024. This force of nature, together with the existing fine dust pollution, poses major challenges for the world's most populous country.
Emissions from the construction industry: first steps towards the zero emissions target
Construction sites and the construction industry itself are major emitters of CO2, particulate matter and other substances that contribute to air pollution in environmental zones and urban centres in general. However, the industry has already taken important steps towards zero emissions and climate neutrality: construction vehicles are becoming increasingly electric!
The rude awakening: Fine dust, dirt and soot on New Year's Day
Every year: New Year's Day, the day when the smell of sulphur is still in the air and grey smears cover the sky. Rubbish and soot everywhere on the streets, damaged cars here and there.
Electric flop: buses in Oslo break down in the cold
100 million euros in the sand - or snow. That is the sad result of the first onset of winter in Oslo. After the city invested this enormous sum in new electric buses in the spring, they have now simply broken down in the cold. Instead of emission-free local transport, the city has thrown a lot of money down the drain. It remains to be seen what the manufacturer Solaris will now do to avert the debacle.
The shattered tyre dream: a disaster for the environment and motorists
It was supposed to be a revolution in the car industry, a turning point for the environment and a triumph for all drivers: the airless tyre. But now the tyre dream has been shattered. A bitter setback, not only for the manufacturer Michelin, but also for the environment and us motorists.
Dystopia of the trackless tram: fine dust pollution in the guise of revolutionary local transport
It sounds like the forward-looking answer to urban transport problems: The first trackless tram in Australia. However, if you take a closer look at the facts, it quickly becomes clear that this is not the hoped-for revolution in local transport, but rather harbours a potential environmental problem.
Electric gate: Are car manufacturers deliberately deceiving on range?
The range of electric cars is a decisive factor when buying. But most cars never reach the manufacturers' specifications. Sales tricks to make the cars more attractive? The manufacturers reject the suspicion of deliberate deception. While the EU is still on the side of the manufacturers, things are getting tight for Tesla in the USA.