UK begins trial in massive emissions falsification case

In a major case, the High Court in London began this Monday to judge some of the world's biggest car manufacturers for alleged manipulation of emissions .

According to Reuters, the approximately 1.6 million plaintiffs are suing rival manufacturers of Volkswagen, which about ten years ago was involved in a similar expensive case - 'Dieselgate'.

The trial is expected to last until the middle of next year, making it the largest class action lawsuit in English and Welsh history, lawyers for the owners say, according to the BBC.

Owners of cars from various brands, including Citroën, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Peugeot, and Renault, produced between 2012 and 2017, are involved. The court will focus on a sample of 20 diesel vehicles produced by the five manufacturers.

The whistleblowers allege that the cars were fitted with illegal defeat devices that ensured nitrogen oxide levels remained within legal levels during testing.

According to lawyers, emissions were actually much higher in real-world road use, exceeding the limits by 12 times in some cases.

This Monday in court, it was alleged that the manufacturers involved preferred to "deceive rather than comply with the law."

In their defense, the manufacturers say the complaints are flawed . They claim there are some justifications for the emissions control devices being calibrated to operate differently . They also deny that there are any similarities with Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' case.

Read Also: Car manufacturers warn of unattainable emissions targets and want measures