Renault charged with deceiving French investigators; ordered to pay RM100m bail, provide bank guarantee

Renault charged with deceiving French investigators; ordered to pay RM100m bail, provide bank guarantee

Renault has been charged by French investigators for deceiving on vehicle emissions in light of the Dieselgate emissions scandal that came to light in 2015, the company has revealed.

The French automaker has been ordered to make a 20 million euro (RM99.9 million) bail payment, of which 18 million euros (RM89.9 million) will be earmarked for potential damages and fines, as well as provide a 60 million euro (RM300 million) bank guarantee to cover potential compensation for losses, Renault said in a statement.

“Renault denies having committed any offence and reminds that its vehicles are not equipped with any rigging software for pollution control devices. Renault has always complied with French and European regulations, [and its] vehicles have always been type-approved in accordance with applicable laws and regulations,” the automaker said.

The charges levelled against Renault arose from an investigation that was opened in 2017, shortly after Volkswagen had settled its own criminal and civil cases in the United States with the outcome of the German automaker pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government and obstruction of justice, reported Bloomberg.

Renault charged with deceiving French investigators; ordered to pay RM100m bail, provide bank guarantee

“Renault deceived no one. What we know from the Volkswagen case is not at all the same for Renault. We don’t have defeat devices in our cars and never had them,” said Renault head of engineering Gilles Le Borgne in the news report.

The accusations that Renault used a device in its vehicles to detect that it was being tested for emissions is “erroneous and incomprehensible,” Le Borgne said, who joined Renault last year from the PSA Group, Bloomberg reported. The vehicles referred to in the probe were from 2099 to 2011, and from 2013 to 2017, although the full scope of the investigation is stll be defined, he said.

At the beginning of the Dieselgate emissions scandal in 2015, Renault was accused by a German environmental lobby group of having excess NOx emissions of up to 25 times more than was permitted from the Espace under Euro 6 stipulations, which Renault has disputed.

In addition to Renault, French investigators have been looking into Volkswagen, PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler, the latter two having merged to form Stellantis, reports Bloomberg. In France, investigative magistrates can charge companies or individuals when “serious and consistent” clues indicate likely involvement. The magistrates can then decide whether or not to refer a case to trial, but they aren’t involved after that stage, the report added.

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Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • Angry Voters on Jun 11, 2021 at 6:53 pm

    who is Renault boss in 2015? Pnipu..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
    • Brian on Jun 11, 2021 at 9:53 pm

      The French Government?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
      • bonjour vee on Jun 12, 2021 at 12:58 pm

        May be that’s why their president got slapped in the face.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
        • a.azmin on Jun 12, 2021 at 6:33 pm

          all thanks to Carlos Ghosn whose achievements are like Messiah, and save them Renault he did,

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
          • History Bender on Jun 13, 2021 at 5:34 pm

            Renault sent CG to save Nissan from oblivion. Renault did not need any saving.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • YB Sam Look on Jun 13, 2021 at 2:17 am

    Brukdua must be very very lucky all the time, deceiving Malaysian carbuyers that their cheapo junk Axai cannot install ESC back in year 2016, and that same blardy junk comes with ESC in year 2019 during MC2 facelift yet nothing happen to them while happily sell their unsafe old junk without a blardy temperature gauge brandished as ‘brand new’, and now without MT option as there are too many unqualified hailak drivers in this country.

    https://paultan.org/2016/12/05/perodua-unable-to-install-esc-on-current-models-except-the-bezza-new-model-due-out-in-2018/

    https://paultan.org/2019/09/20/2019-perodua-axia-launched-6-variants-new-suv-inspired-style-model-vsc-and-asa-rm24k-to-rm43k/

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 18
  • Admin. There is a typo, year 2099….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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