Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler-owned Mercedes-Benz have stopped sales of some of their plug-in hybrid cars in Europe following the new emissions regulations, Automotive News reported on Thursday.
The new Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) regime, that went into effect on September 1, gives higher CO2 readings compared to the old New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) system, pressing vehicles into a higher tax bracket.
The new regulations could take away tax rewards offered to cars with ultra-low emissions in certain nations.
Automakers have to chosen whether the extra expense to fit a bigger battery is worth the incentives given, as per the report.
The introduction of WLTP has forced some automakers to withhold non-conforming models from showrooms, urging them to discount other models to defend their market share.
