autoevolution
 

South Korea Fines Mercedes, Porsche, Nissan Over Diesel Emissions Cheating

September 2015 is when the Volkswagen Group started to reveal its ugliest face. Known as Dieselgate, the emissions scandal that rocked the automotive industry has proven that cheating on a worldwide scale isn’t as uncommon as we previously thought about the largest automaker out there. The problem is, Vee-Dub and the group’s brands are not alone.
Mercedes-Benz diesel engine 38 photos
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
Even though it’s been almost five years since the fat lady sang, two automakers and a Volkswagen Group brand have been fined in South Korea over the same issue. Emissions cheating is how the Ministry of Environment describes the offense, and the culprits in question are 12 diesel models from Mercedes-Benz, one from Nissan, and another one from Porsche.

Care to guess which models have been caught red-handed spewing NOx? The ministry is talking about the 2014 to 2015 Nissan Qashqai, 2014 to 2015 Porsche Macan S Diesel, and various Mercedes-Benz nameplates ranging from the 200d to the 250d BlueTEC 4Matic. In numbers, no fewer than 37,154 models from the three-pointed star are facing scrutiny while Nissan and Porsche account for 2,293 and 934 crossovers with illicit software.

The Ministry of Environment has already issued fines for all of them. Criminal charges are also in the pipeline, but until then, let’s talk about the financial aspect. Merc has to pony up $63.4 million while Porsche and Nissan will say goodbye to $817,300 and $735,600, respectively, at current exchange rates.

The government’s fine on Mercedes is the largest-ever imposed on automakers by South Korea, larger than the $11.5 million that Audi Volkswagen Korea had to pay in November 2015. The Stuttgart-based company, however, says that it has “justifiable technological and legal grounds” for using software that generates 13x more NOx than allowed.

On a related note, diesel is no longer in fashion in the Asian country. 2019 sales figures reveal a solid growth for gasoline-engined automobiles, outnumbering diesel for the first time since 2013. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, EVs, and fuel-cell vehicles like the Hyundai Nexo are on the up as well.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories