Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen group colluded over five years to avoid competition on “cleaning better than what is required by law despite the relevant technology being available,” the European Commission said today. Green group Transport & Environment (T&E) said that in the wake of Dieselgate, when carmakers cheated emissions tests, the scandal shows the manufacturers cannot be trusted to put people’s health and the climate before profit.
Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and emobility at T&E, said: “Carmakers cannot be trusted to clean up cars. First they cheated on emissions tests, then they colluded to delay cleaner vehicles even though they had the technology. Only an EU target to switch to 100% emissions-free cars by 2035 will be enough to decarbonise by mid-century and avoid climate catastrophe.”