(qlmbusinessnews.com . Tue 14th Oct, 2025) London, UK —
Historic Class Action Against Automakers for Alleged Emissions Fraud Hits High Court
In London's High Court, a landmark legal battle has commenced against five renowned car manufacturers, centred on allegations of emissions cheating, marking the latest development in the scandal infamously dubbed “dieselgate.” The case accuses these automakers of employing illicit software to manipulate emissions tests, enabling their vehicles to appear more environmentally friendly under testing conditions than they actually are during regular operation.
The court was informed that the implicated companies – consisting of Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot/Citroën, Renault, and Nissan – seemingly preferred deceit over lawful compliance concerning vehicle emissions standards. However, all firms involved have rejected these claims.
At the onset of the trial, Thomas De La Mare KC, representing the vehicle owners, highlighted a collective industry choice prioritizing customer convenience and sales over environmental protection. Evidence presented by Mr. De La Mare included a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, which attributed excess emissions from diesel engines, specifically nitrogen oxide, to 124,000 premature deaths and almost 98,000 new asthma diagnoses amongst children in the UK and Europe from 2009 to 2024.
Contrarily, Alexander Antelme KC, defending Renault, dismissed the accusations of emissions test deceit as baseless and defended the design elements of diesel engines under scrutiny as essential. Neil Moody KC, representing Ford, criticized the lawsuit for its alleged scientific inaccuracies and legal flaws, dismissing any suggestion of a broad industry conspiracy as implausible.
This lawsuit is considered the largest class action ever seen in English and Welsh legal history, involving up to 1.6 million car owners. Its origins trace back to 2015, when Volkswagen was exposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency for using “defeat devices” to cheat on emissions tests, a revelation that led to significant fines and settlements worldwide.
Outside the High Court, environmental campaigners, including the group Mums for Lungs and Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose daughter's death marked a pivotal moment in linking fatal health outcomes to air pollution, gathered to underscore the human impact of the scandal.
With a judgement anticipated in the summer of 2026, the outcome of this trial could have wide-reaching implications for the automotive industry. Despite the companies' defence of their practices, the case continues to unfold, with the main proceedings set to conclude in December and legal discussions slated for March 2026.
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