USA: Mercedes-Benz in trouble over diesel car emissions?

According to a law suit recently filed against Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, the German carmaker's "Clean Diesel" vehicles emit alarming levels of nitrogen oxide gases (NOx) in the real world in comparison to lab tests. The case has been filed in the US District Court, Dist. of New Jersey and the plaintiff seeks a jury trial.

After VAG's diesel emission scandal, Mercedes-Benz has found itself in the cross-hairs of environmentalists. The suit claims that the real world test figures prove that Mercedes diesel cars with BlueTEC (technology) emit 65 times more nitrogen oxide gases (NOx) than the permissible limit set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

It further suggests that Mercedes admitted that the BlueTEC vehicles shut off the NOx reduction system when ambient temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and also under some other unspecified circumstances. Real world testing indicated that the cars produced NOx at an average of 603 mg/km (2,000 mg/kg in some cases), which is 7.5 times Euro 6 standard and 19 times higher than the US standard. Some instantaneous NOx values were recorded to be as high as 25 times Euro 6 standards and 65 times higher than the US standard. 

The BlueTEC diesel engines are marketed as "the world's cleanest and most advance diesel engines", which supposedly emit up to 30% lower greenhouse-gas emissions than petrol engines. The engines are claimed to reduce nitrogen oxide exhaust gases by up to 90%.

The plaintiff seeks damages, injunctive relief and compensation for Mercedes' misconduct w.r.t. design, production, marketing, sale & lease of BlueTEC vehicles with non-permissible & unlawful emissions.

Source: HBSS Law