Remember when?

Why don't some of us own an older car?

This is already in force in Central London and is being extend to cover Greater London with other cities consideing it.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/new-emissions-zone-to-hit-drivers-with-1250-a-day-pollution-tax-a3858531.html

Annual road tax is also an issue. My mini at 15 years old would have been £300 per year, my new car is £95. Cars are taxed on emissions,

We are subject to an annual "M.O.T.", i.e. vehicle inspection and test. Each year the test becomes more involved. While it tests safety - brakes, structure, lights ..... It also covers emissions. There are allowances for the age of the vehicle but ,,,,,

Last year the rules changed. We are allowed to present the car one month before expiry for a test and if it failed, provided it wasn't unroadworthy (no brakes, about to fall apart) - you could drive it home and fix it. Replace a bulb, tune the carb, new tyre, adjust a wheel bearing .......

Now if it fails for even a minor fault - it may not be driven. So if you have an old engine that weeps a little oil or burns a little oil - it must be transported away from the test centre and returned the same way for a retest. Expensive! Or left at the test centre for repair!

Not really sure what emissions control does with fuel economy.

I had a three cylinder BMW K750 that did 45 - 60 mpg (city to open road/motorway crusing). I then got an Aprilia Pegaso 650, single cylinder. It only turned 32 - 45 mpg, Motorcycles weren't tested for emissions and so I removed everything and had the ECU retuned. Mpg increased to 40 - 65 and it gained another almost 10 mph.

I know that modern engines now are even more complex - ignition timing changes, valve timing changes ... the ECU overrides what you may want to do but they are not set to run at the optimum fuel air mix of 14.7 to 1.