The Deutsche Umwelthilfe reveals in an expert report software special effects at Mercedes, so far gone under the radar.
In the Dieselgate affair, which came to light in 2015 after an investigation into Volkswagen’s rigged software, other manufacturers were placed under surveillance. Among them, Mercedes. The builder with the star is today in the sights of a German association for the protection of the environment and consumers, the Deutsche Umwelthilfe. It has just published an expert report which reveals new information on the supposed cheating of the mark for the homologation of its diesel vehicles.
Up to 500% higher pollutant emissions in real conditions
This thirty-page report was delivered by automotive software expert Felix Domke at the request of the US law firm Milberg. It reveals the presence of eight invalidation devices on a Mercedes E-Class diesel to Euro 6 standard. The model tested is an older generation E 350 BlueTEC 4Matic estate variant, registered in January 2016. These illicit devices, hitherto little known, are controlled by software and are used to detect test situations in laboratory to limit polluting emissions and pass approval without any problem. But they reduce the efficiency of the SCR catalyst used to clean up exhaust gases in everyday life. Thus, the actual emissions of nitrogen oxides on the road exceed the limit value imposed by law, up to 500%.
Of the eight devices discovered by Felix Domke, six are related to the SCR catalyst system. These usually convert dangerous NOx (nitrogen oxides) discharges into harmless nitrogen and water using a liquid called AdBlue. But as expert Felix Domke explains, “discovered defeat devices engage in common road driving situations, even under normal driving conditions. There is almost always at least one defeat device that will prevent the reduction of pollutant emissionseven if it is not necessary for physical reasons or for engine protection. This significantly reduces the amount of AdBlue that is injected, whereas it would take much more to neutralize the nitrogen oxides in the SCR catalyst.”. Thus, the exhaust gas recirculation rate is also reduced and the normally efficient exhaust gas treatment system often operates only at part of its potential capacity. The vehicle thus emits unnecessarily high amounts of nitrogen oxides.
According to the report, Daimler AG has consistently denied the use of illegal defeat devices on diesel vehicles sold in Germany and Europe. But here, even though the report expands on the results of only one vehicle tested, substantiated evidence is put forward for the use of rigged software on Mercedes models, with figures to back it up. The report therefore calls on the new federal government to “all diesel vehicles equipped with defeat devices in the exhaust gas control system are withdrawn from service or repaired by an official recall at the expense of the manufacturers, as is the case in the United States”. Whether Mercedes will be cooperative remains to be seen.
Photos: Mercedes, Deutsche Umwelthilfe
To read on auto-moto.com
Dieselgate: a first action launched in France
We watched the documentary #Dieselgate and we recommend it to you
Renault-Nissan: a new Dieselgate to come?
The Deutsche Umwelthilfe reveals in an expert report software special effects at Mercedes, so far gone under the radar.
In the Dieselgate affair, which came to light in 2015 after an investigation into Volkswagen’s rigged software, other manufacturers were placed under surveillance. Among them, Mercedes. The builder with the star is today in the sights of a German association for the protection of the environment and consumers, the Deutsche Umwelthilfe. It has just published an expert report which reveals new information on the supposed cheating of the mark for the homologation of its diesel vehicles.
Up to 500% higher pollutant emissions in real conditions
This thirty-page report was delivered by automotive software expert Felix Domke at the request of the US law firm Milberg. It reveals the presence of eight invalidation devices on a Mercedes E-Class diesel to Euro 6 standard. The model tested is an older generation E 350 BlueTEC 4Matic estate variant, registered in January 2016. These illicit devices, hitherto little known, are controlled by software and are used to detect test situations in laboratory to limit polluting emissions and pass approval without any problem. But they reduce the efficiency of the SCR catalyst used to clean up exhaust gases in everyday life. Thus, the actual emissions of nitrogen oxides on the road exceed the limit value imposed by law, up to 500%.
Of the eight devices discovered by Felix Domke, six are related to the SCR catalyst system. These usually convert dangerous NOx (nitrogen oxides) discharges into harmless nitrogen and water using a liquid called AdBlue. But as expert Felix Domke explains, “discovered defeat devices engage in common road driving situations, even under normal driving conditions. There is almost always at least one defeat device that will prevent the reduction of pollutant emissionseven if it is not necessary for physical reasons or for engine protection. This significantly reduces the amount of AdBlue that is injected, whereas it would take much more to neutralize the nitrogen oxides in the SCR catalyst.”. Thus, the exhaust gas recirculation rate is also reduced and the normally efficient exhaust gas treatment system often operates only at part of its potential capacity. The vehicle thus emits unnecessarily high amounts of nitrogen oxides.
According to the report, Daimler AG has consistently denied the use of illegal defeat devices on diesel vehicles sold in Germany and Europe. But here, even though the report expands on the results of only one vehicle tested, substantiated evidence is put forward for the use of rigged software on Mercedes models, with figures to back it up. The report therefore calls on the new federal government to “all diesel vehicles equipped with defeat devices in the exhaust gas control system are withdrawn from service or repaired by an official recall at the expense of the manufacturers, as is the case in the United States”. Whether Mercedes will be cooperative remains to be seen.
Photos: Mercedes, Deutsche Umwelthilfe
To read on auto-moto.com
Dieselgate: a first action launched in France
We watched the documentary #Dieselgate and we recommend it to you
Renault-Nissan: a new Dieselgate to come?
