The head of Mercedes-Benz Cars and chairman of the Daimler group has vowed to “fight” for diesel after fresh allegations of collusion and diesel emissions cheating came to light.
A recent report suggested that German automakers had been working together to fix the prices of diesel emissions treatment systems for years, ultimately using systems that were not fit for purpose.
This comes after the industry was shaken by the Volkswagen Group’s wide-ranging diesel emissions scandal. In addition, authorities in the United Kingdom this week announced plans to ban the sale of diesel- and petrol-powered vehicles by 2040 in a bid to cut pollution.
“Diesel is worth fighting for,” Dieter Zetsche said, according to Automotive News.
The report suggested that Daimler was “counting on diesel” as it worked on improving its electric vehicle technology (and cutting its cost) in a bid to meet increasingly stringent emissions regulations.
“We are convinced, like the rest of the car-making industry, that we are headed toward electric mobility,” Zetsche said.
“Until that happens, further reductions in CO2 will be achieved through combustion engines, and here the diesel will play a significant role,” he added.
Zetsche refused to comment on the latest collusion allegations.
“The car industry is currently causing headlines, and they’re not good ones. I know a lot of people want more clarity now, but we can’t comment on speculation.”