Part 7/9:

The tipping point arrived in 2015 when the "Dieselgate" scandal exposed Volkswagen's deceit in emissions testing, leading to widespread revelation of discrepancies across the diesel vehicle market. The regulatory consequences were significant: emissions standards were altered, and diesel vehicles rapidly fell out of favor.

Health and Environmental Consequences

Despite the initial assertions that diesel engines were a greener alternative, the reality told a far grimmer story. With sustained high levels of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions, public health outcomes suffered dramatically. Research now correlates chronic exposure to these pollutants with severe health risks, including respiratory illness and increased mortality rates.