Pollution police: South Korea to slap Mercedes-Benz with $63 million fine, press criminal charges for fraudulent emissions data

Seoul will issue a hefty fine to Mercedes-Benz for manipulating emissions data of its diesel cars, local media reported. The South Korean government has already taken similar action against Nissan and Porsche.

Mercedes-Benz will have to fork out over $63.4 million for fabricating emissions reports for 12 diesel models sold between 2012 and 2018, Yonhap reported.

Seoul has already issued fines totaling $734,000 and $816,000 to Nissan Korea and Porsche Korea, respectively, for also reporting fabricated emission figures for their diesel models.All three automakers were caught using software in their automobiles that manipulate the levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). EGR is used to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines.

In some Mercedes-Benz models, nitrogen oxide output levels were 13 times higher than the required 0.08g per kilometer.

According to Yonhap, South Korea's environment ministry plans to press criminal charges and will demand recalls for the three carmakers. Certifications of the problematic models will also be revoked.

Trying to cheat emissions guidelines is nothing new in the auto industry. In 2015, Volkswagen admitted to exploiting loopholes in European Union regulations to cheat diesel emissions tests, meaning millions of diesel cars pumped much more nitrogen oxides into the air than the manufacturer initially claimed. The ‘dieselgate’ scandal resulted in lawsuits around the world, and has cost the company more than $30 billion in fines.

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