Since the Volkswagon Diesel emissions scandal a few years back, scientific and political opinion on the fuel has swung back to the perception of diesel being a dirty fuel.
But has there been an over-reaction from politicians regarding this scandal, with a new policy announcement to ban all petrol and diesel cars from 2040 - or is it a justifiable way to help reduce pollution and save the planet?
Campaigners will say by using electric cars pollution will be reduced by the car itself. But to enable this to happen will need the creation of a large infrastructure of charging points across the country, as well as an increase of power stations to supply the increase in demand on the power grid. Critics have a million and one reasons why it won't work, including the difficulty in installing charging points in rural areas - when some places still don't even have broadband internet yet!
Creating all of this expansion will have a significant initial impact on the country's carbon footprint. We already know the UK's coal power stations are being turned off and there is little sign of any replacements on the horizon... with the Hinkley C station being held up in political turmoil, who could realistically imagine we could get all of the infrastructure needed in place by 2040.
And as the world becomes more competitive, we see retailers increasingly manipulate the truth to garner more sales. Vauxhall and now Ford are amongst other companies offering £2000-£3000 as part of an unofficial 'Scrappage Scheme'. While technically the companies can call their deal whatever they want, instead of promoting a simple part-exchange scheme, they choose to peddle the myth that cars prior to 2010 are dirty and bad for the environment.
Anyone who knows anything about cars know that EU directives have strictly improved the cleanliness of exhaust emissions - especially over the last 15-20 years - and that the real truth is there is a greater carbon footprint in creating a brand new car than there is to run an old car (if kept in good working order) for 20+ years. But in a capitalist society we have to keep the wheels of consumerism working to ensure people still have jobs.
So why do they feel the need to lie about it, and furthermore - they are destroying decent fuel efficient cars which people, who currently drive in cars 20+ years old, would be looking to buy as their next second-hander. We know how bad the official Scrappage Scheme was for a number of 80s and 90s classics - many classic Minis bit the bullet, but this time it could be a swathe of 1st Gen MINIs including the coveted R53 - scrapped because owners don't appreciate or care about their real value.
And all this for an increase in the pitter patter of sales.
