UK court largely sides with carmakers in major diesel emissions lawsuit
F•Backdrop to the litigation
The trial began in October and is the most significant hearing so far in 13 groups of lawsuits brought by around 1.6 million claimants.
The litigation comes more than a decade after Volkswagen's Dieselgate scandal, which cost the German automaker billions of euros. Rival manufacturers have argued their emissions systems differ from Volkswagen's and can legitimately operate differently under certain conditions.
Potential appeal and wider impact
A Mercedes-Benz spokesperson said the company welcomed the ruling and that the court had found "very largely in favour" of the automaker, while adding it was considering its options, including a possible appeal.
Lawyers for the claimants said they were considering an appeal and argued the judgment adopted a narrower interpretation of the law than elsewhere in Europe.
The ruling affects test cases against five manufacturers but will also apply to about 800,000 similar claims involving other carmakers. A further trial is scheduled for October to decide the consequences of any breaches and whether claimants are entitled to damages.
Manufacturers and vehicles covered
The case focused on 20 sample vehicles made by:
- Mercedes-Benz
- Ford
- Nissan
- Renault
- Stellantis brands Peugeot and Citroen
Cockerill did make some adverse findings, including a coolant temperature device used in some Mercedes cars that was removed in a December 2015 update. But she said the device did not reduce the effectiveness of the emissions control system.
