Daimler has been been alleged of selling more than a million cars with excessive emissions in Europe and the United States, Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper stated, mentioning a search warrant issued by a Stuttgart court.
Two months earlier Stuttgart prosecutors investigated Daimler sites in Germany following accusations of false marketing and the probable wrongful manipulation of exhaust gas treatment systems in diesel cars.
The Stuttgart regional court’s search warrant triggered the searches on May 23, Sueddeutsche Zeitung stated.
As per the file, over 1 million cars with excessive emissions, consisting of numerous high-end Mercedes-Benz models, were sold in Europe and the United States from 2008 to 2016, noted Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which researched the matter with local broadcasters WDR and NDR.
A representative for Stuttgart-based Daimler refused to talk about the on-going investigation by regional prosecutors, adding the automaker was totally cooperating with the authorities.
The vehicles in question are powered by engines codenamed OM 642 and OM 651, with prosecutors taking a look at the possible use of defeat devices to manipulate emission levels during tests, the newspaper noted.
There is a risk that the automobiles impacted in Europe could be prohibited in the region, the paper said, again mentioning the search warrant.
The Daimler spokesperson refused to comment on the report, explaining it as “speculation”, other than saying the company did not see any risk of its cars being banned.
