Mercedes’ parent company Daimler AG could face a huge fine over allegations of cheating on diesel emissions tests.
Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Mercedes may have used an illegal device that allowed their cars and vans to cheat on carbon dioxide emissions tests. Those allegations resulted in the head of Daimler AG, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, being called into German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer’s office to discuss the matter behind closed doors.
According to German newspaper Der Spiegel, Scheuer threatened Zetsche with a huge fine. The transport minister suspects as many as 750,000 Mercedes vehicles could have the illegal cheat device installed on them and with a fine of 5,000 euros per car that works out to a total fine of 3.75 billion euros (or $4.4 billion USD).
That’s a big fine, and one that Zetsche definitely doesn’t want to pay. The Daimler Doctor reportedly left the meeting with the promise to perform a full investigation and determine just how many vehicles may have been installed on Mercedes cars and vans.
RELATED: MERCEDES ACCUSED OF USING EMISSION CHEAT DEVICE ON DIESEL VEHICLES
This all stems from an earlier investigation that found the illegal cheat device on the Mercedes Vito commercial van. The van uses a 1.6-L turbodiesel engine sourced from Renault that has been under investigation for similar cheating since 2016. That same engine is used on the Mercedes C-Class, but the German Transport Ministry believes the software that allows Mercedes engines to cheat on emissions tests may have found their way to many more cars.
Both C-Class and G-Class wagons are the current prime target for an investigation from German authorities. If they find the cheat software on Mercedes cars, it could be Dieselgate all over again for yet another German carmaker.
Volkswagen is still trying to get out from beneath the pall of the Dieselgate scandal that rocked the company earlier in 2015. Volkswagen has paid billions in fines and seen many former executives arrested, including a former CEO.
Mercedes is thus far complying fully with German authorities. The details of the meeting were not disclosed, but it seems clear that Zetsche knows his position is on the line.