New mass claim against Renault for ‘cheated diesels’

Renault has been taken to court in the Netherlands over a new mass claim related to the diesel scandal. According to the Emission Claim foundation, the French Renault has cheated for years with diesel emissions, which means that the cars in question emit up to sixteen times the legal amount of harmful nitrogens, according to the foundation. This concerns approximately 300,000 cars that were made between 2009 and 2019. The Emission Claim Foundation relies on research by the German Umwelthilfe from 2016 and 2017. At the time, this found that 1.5 dCi and 1.6 dCi engines in the Renaults Captur, Kadjar and Scénic had much higher NOx emissions than permitted. The biggest outlier was the Renault Captur with 110 hp 1.5 dCi, which would emit up to 16.5 times too much nitrogen monoxide.

The Dutch diesel drivers involved are called upon by the Emission Claim Foundation to report. Emission Claim wants to claim back about 20 percent of the purchase price for them, so that the claim could easily amount to €3 billion, according to a quick calculation by a spokesperson. According to the foundation, it is very important that as many people as possible report. “So that we stand before the court in Amsterdam with as many affiliated victims as possible for the upcoming court case on December 8,” says a statement.

It is not the first case against Renault in the Netherlands. Earlier, the Car Claim foundation also filed a large mass claim against Renault and its daughter Dacia because of the diesel scandal. When that claim was announced in November last year, a claim amount of up to €1 billion was mentioned. Car Claim is conducting proceedings against several car manufacturers together with the Consumers’ Association. The case of the Emission Claim Foundation is financed by the American claim lawyer Steve Berman, who has already arranged major settlements in the United States, including in cases about the diesel scandal against Volkswagen and Mercedes. In addition to the case against Renault, he also finances diesel claim cases against Mercedes and Stellantis, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroën and Opel, among others.

Renault rejects the allegations, just like last year. In a statement to AutoWeek informs Renault Nederland: “All Renault Group vehicles are and will be homologated in accordance with the law and regulations of the countries in which the vehicles are sold. Renault vehicles are not equipped with anti-pollution anti-fraud software.”