Thousands of cars could be recalled in a new ‘dieselgate’ emissions scandal that could hit Britons across the country.
As part of an investigation by the Department for Transport (DfT), a total of 47 different models from 11 manufacturers are suspected of being more polluting than previously thought.
Around 20 car brands are understood to have been affected, with the exact models affected so far being kept secret, it reports. The times.
The news comes nine years after the Volkswagen ‘dieselgate’ scandal in which the German carmaker installed ‘cheating devices’ in diesel models to cheat official tests and cause them to record lower emissions levels.
Last year, environmental law group ClientEarth lodged a legal complaint with ministers to find out how many cars from other manufacturers could have the devices in the UK, and it is now feared that between two and six million cars have the “device” installed. deactivation”.
The DfT has now launched the first phase of the investigation into the car brands in response to a Freedom of Information request from ClientEarth.
Thousands of cars could be recalled in a new ‘dieselgate’ emissions scandal that could hit Britons across the country. (archive image)
It comes amid fears that vehicles were causing higher levels of air pollution across the UK (file image)
The department will now investigate the number of “prohibited defeat devices” in diesel cars registered between September 2009 and 2019.
And although the opening phase of the investigation is limited to 47 models, investigations have suggested there could be at least 200 compromised car models still being used on UK roads.
If the investigation were to trigger a series of mass recalls, automakers would be left to foot the bill, potentially leading to job losses within the industry, while drivers would also be expected to receive compensation.
In 2022, Volkswagen agreed to pay £193m to more than 90,000 UK drivers following the 2015 scandal.
Transport chiefs are now reportedly scrambling to try to calculate how much additional air pollution has been caused as a result of the use of additional “cheating devices”.
A defeat device is a type of hardware or software design that interferes with a vehicle’s emissions controls under real-world driving conditions.
A DfT spokesperson said: “Defeat devices are illegal, mislead drivers and can have negative health effects on the public.”
‘We routinely and thoroughly test vehicles against emissions standards and have acted quickly to launch an investigation into this matter. “We will work with the industry to resolve any issues identified.”
The spokesperson added that cars will be considered to have such a device if any “design element” reduces “the effectiveness of the emissions control system under conditions that can reasonably be expected to occur during normal operation and use of the vehicle.”
Air pollution is estimated to kill up to 38,000 people a year in England.
Solicitor Emily Kearsey, who works with ClientEarth, said air pollution was “the biggest threat to public health in the UK” and excess vehicle emissions were contributing to the crisis.
He warned that the “invisible killer” can shorten people’s lives while ruining their quality of life. DfT reports revealed that vehicles found to be non-compliant will “require corrective action” and “all non-compliance will be addressed”.
The ‘dieselgate’ scandal was first discovered in 2015, when it emerged that Volkswagen had installed software designed to cheat official tests (file image)
In 2022, Volkswagen agreed to pay £193 million to more than 90,000 UK drivers after the 2015 scandal (pictured is a file image of someone filling a car with diesel)
ClientEarth has now urged Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to act urgently and “not bow to the interests of car manufacturers”.
It comes as motoring bosses admitted they were weighing up what action to take following the latest Dieselgate allegations.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “We are aware of a decision by the European Court of Justice which called into question the existing certification of vehicles approved for sale by governments across Europe during several years years and we are working with the department to understand what implications, if any, there may be for the UK.
The Government is currently unable to trigger a nationwide vehicle recall, despite the Environment Act 2021 being introduced to create such laws.
According to the money-saving expert, drivers may be entitled to compensation if they purchased the engine without knowing about the alleged emissions defects.
Drivers may also be eligible if they fixed a car or truck to meet emissions standards and the repair itself led to “worse fuel efficiency or worse performance,” which could reduce its value or create additional costs.