How did ŠKODA measure emissions in the past?
Archives show that the first really detailed exhaust gas analyses were conducted in late 1954 on the ŠKODA 1500 engine designed for the ŠKODA 973, an army off-road vehicle. The exhaust gas composition and mixture distribution were examined as part of the intake manifold design process. Soon after that, the brand started testing exhaust gases for passenger and freight vehicles at the then Motor Vehicle Research Institute (ÚVMV) in Prague. The cooperation between ŠKODA and ÚVMV engineers then continued until the 1980s, and included development operations involving emission system optimisation for the new ŠKODA FAVORIT.
Another milestone was the new emissions lab with three measurement boxes, built in 1997 on the Technological Development site. One station combined with a climatic chamber made it possible to perform measurements across temperatures ranging between -35 and +65 degrees Celsius. The building, later named “Emissions Centre North”, was substantially enlarged in 2015 and then revamped considerably this year in order to make it possible for ŠKODA to comply with the increasingly strict emission measurement legislation. Parallel to this, the brand decided to build a new emissions centre, internally named “South”, that has been in operation since 2017. In this regard, ŠKODA is getting ready for changes expected in drivetrains, fuels and measurement technologies, as well as for new markets with different emission legislations.