Renault’s Espace Model Accused Of Emissions Cheating

A German environmental group is stating that Renault’s latest latest crossover-looking minivan, the Espace, is releasing diesel toxic emissions of up to 25 times over the legal limits, with the French car manufacturer currently contesting the allegations.

According to the DUH body’s findings, the latest euro 6-spec, 1.6-litre diesel mill fitted on the Espace emits up to 2.06 grams of NOx/kilometer – which is considered more than 25 times over the EU limit. Moreover, the same report says that the excess emission level were detected in five separate tests when the Espace was run with a warm engine, although the vehicle met the 80 mg with a cold-engine after “specific pre-conditioning”.

According to Reuters, Renault has denied all allegations, saying that “the Espace complies with the applicable regulations”, and that the report shows important variations in test findings which are not conclusive (or compliant with European regulations) and require additional measurements.

To make the scandal in the wake of Volkswagen’s “Diselgate” even more tangled, don’t forget that GM rejected similar DUH findings last month, after running its own tests, monitored by Germany’s TUV certification body.

Apparently, the DUH study was published in cooperation with the Washington-based International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), which commissioned the original investigation on Volkswagen’s own scandal/crisis, with ICCT co-founder Axel Friedrich, saying:

“It’s unbelievable that so-called modern diesel vehicles that damage the air we breathe in this way are on the road today. Europe needs a comprehensive reorganisation of the system in which mandatory regular controls on the street are integrated.”