Court says Mercedes-Benz used diesel emissions defeat devices

Mercedes-Benz says it will launch an appeal after a court ruled in favour of a class action claiming the manufacturer used diesel emissions defeat devices in its cars.

The German court said that some of the carmaker’s Euro 6 diesel models with engines built between 2012-2016 had cheat devices.

However, the court in Stuttgart found no violations in older Euro 5 models, reports Reuters.

Giving its verdict, the court said that owners can return cars and get a refund minus wear and tear, provided the intended violation is confirmed.

“An important course for damages claims has now been set,” said the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (VZBV), representing around 2,800 consumers in the case.

However, Mercedes-Benz said it would file an appeal. “We continue to believe that the claims asserted against our company are unfounded and will defend ourselves against them,” said a spokesperson.

In a separate class action in the UK, the Volkswagen Group reached an out of court settlement with claimants in a class action lawsuit following the dieselgate emissions scandal in May 2022. 

A payout of £193 million was agreed, which averages £2,120 for each of the 91,000 owners that joined the claim.

No admissions in respect of liability, causation or loss was made by any of the defendants, however, an apology on the part of the VW Group was issued.