Mercedes-Benz, one of the premier car brands involved in the diesel emissions scandal, has a lot of work to do as it aims to cut emissions output to at least 50% by the year 2030. The carmaker aims to spend around $47 billion (approximately £40.07 billion) between now and 2030. The amount will be used for the transition to battery-powered EVs or electric vehicles.
The German manufacturer initially announced that they were aiming to achieve zero emissions by the year 2039. Mercedes revealed their new goal for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions during the said event.
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius describes their latest efforts as a clear indication of the direction that the company is taking to accomplish their goal. Their plan of action involves:
- Vehicle fleet electrification
- Battery technology improvement
- Green energy for charging
- The extensive use of renewable energy and recycled materials in production
Mercedes also intends to focus on introducing solar and wind power in partnership with other parties, as well as establishing some on their sites. The company has over 30 plants (for both cars and vans) that are already starting to produce carbon dioxide-neutral vehicles. Their Kamenz battery plant started operations in 2018 as the global centre for battery production and is said to be already CO-neutral.
Aside from their emissions reduction and EV transition campaigns, Mercedes also has a Mercedes Me Charge green charging project. It intends to provide green charging to public charging points that total around 300,000 all over Europe.
The carmaker’s plan of action is further laid out on their website: the company will roll out BEVs or battery electric vehicles in all sections that Mercedes serves this year and by 2025, all-electric alternatives for all models will be available beginning 2025 so customers can choose what they want. At the same time, the carmaker will continue to work on achieving their profitability targets.
Mercedes-Benz is allocating more than €40 billion (approximately £34.0 billion) in investments for the shift to BEVs.
Källenius called on other companies, governments, and society as he stressed the need to work together and collaborate if the zero emissions and EV transition goals are to be achieved in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Mercedes’ portfolio specifies six all-electric vehicle models, although this number is set to increase to nine soon.
Dieselgate scandal
All the work that Mercedes-Benz and its parent company Daimler have been doing is commendable but these are all just the tip of the iceberg. The carmaker still has a long way to go to compensate for their involvement in the Dieselgate diesel emissions scandal.
In September 2015, German carmaker Volkswagen was accused by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board of installing defeat devices in the diesel vehicles that they sold in the American market. VW initially dismissed the allegations as false but later on acknowledged they knew about the cheat software but still went on to market and sell the vehicles as clean and safe.
A defeat device is used to cheat emissions testing. When the device detects that the vehicle is being tested, it will automatically minimise emissions levels so these would stay within World Health Organization-recommended limits. So, inside the lab, the vehicle delivers good performance. When the vehicle is driven in real-world driving conditions, however, the story changes.
When driven on real-world roads, a vehicle equipped with a defeat device loses performance credibility as it produces extra high levels of nitrogen oxide or NOx. These levels are over the EU and WHO limits by at least four times. As such, the vehicle pollutes the environment with its toxic emissions.
Authorities required VW to pay fines, face class-action lawsuits and give Dieselgate compensation to affected drivers, as well as recall vehicles for correction.
About a year or so after the VW diesel emissions scandal, authorities shifted their attention to Mercedes as some car owners in the US began talking about filing a class-action lawsuit against the carmaker for the alleged utilisation of defeat devices. The Mercedes emissions scandal unfolded in the UK only quite recently, in 2020.
Other car manufacturers, including BMW and Renault, have also been accused of tampering with emissions regulation by installing defeat devices in their vehicles. From the US to the UK and Europe, the scandal has become a major global automotive industry issue with devastating effects on the environment and on human health.
Mercedes emissions claim
While Mercedes and Daimler continue to share their net-zero goals, they also continue to deny all the defeat device allegations against them. Thus, car owners affected by the fiasco are encouraged to make their move against the carmaker by filing a Mercedes emissions claim that can compensate them for the financial, environmental, and health inconveniences the device has caused them.
Nitrogen oxides – the gas that diesel vehicles release – are dangerous and can cause plants and crops to become weak and become susceptible to damage from extreme weather conditions like frost. They also create smog, acid rain, and ground-level ozone. Human health is affected as well, and NOx emissions exposure can lead to illnesses and premature death.
Get in touch with a panel of emissions solicitors to help you start your claim. The experts at Emissions.co.uk can help you determine if you are qualified to make a diesel claim. Contact them now.
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