Environmental lobbyist, Greenpeace, has raised the possibilty Mercedes-Benz should pay penalties as it contests the European Union (EU)-recommended use of the r1234yf refrigerant.
The German automaker is locked in battle with French registration authorities, which have banned certification of its A, B, CLA and SL models featuring Mercedes’ alternative r134a chemical, which they and the EU consider to be highly polluting.
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But despite Greenpeace previously endorsing Mercedes’ use of r134a instead of r1234yf, which the Germans maintain is highly flammable, the lobbyists are calling for fines to be imposed for non-compliance with the relevant legislation.
“We are siding with Daimler because we want all carmakers to give up F gases altogether,” a Greenpeace spokesman in Brussels told just-auto. “We think Daimler was aiming for the right thing, but of course in the meantime they should be paying compensation or penalties for not applying the EU rule.
“There is EU legislation and they can’t ignore it – they would have to pay some sort of compensation.”
Greenpeace concedes Daimler is “doing the right thing” as the automaker is currently developing an alternative and lower CO2-emitting refrigerant, but given it will take some years for the new chemical to come to market, the body is urging the automaker to proceed “as quickly as possible.”
Last week the German road safety authority, the KBA or Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, published an interim report into its testing of r1234yf, from which both the European Commission (EC) and Mercedes, appeared to draw comfort.
However, the manufacturer is still pressing ahead with a hearing at France’s highest judicial court, the Council of State, on 23 August in a bid to have its certification ban overturned and allow more than 5,000 blockaded vehicles to be delivered.
Mercedes also previously noted the German Ministry of Transport is in discussions with the European Commission to find a compromise to resolve the impasse
An EC official told just-auto from Brussels today (13 August) it had received documents from the KBA and was now “studying them carefully” before receiving the final report this autumn.
“Safety is everyone’s top priority, which is why the Commission has offered technical and scientific support in reviewing the testing procedures and results,” said the Brussels spokesman.
Chemical provider, Honeywell, has previously mounted a robust defence of its r1234yf product and insists the KBA tests show there are no “serious” risks.
Further details are expected from Honeywell later today concerning its r1234yf chemical.
Mercedes has previously countered with its own possibility of recompense, saying it would be “open” to receiving compensation “in principle.”
The automaker was not immediately available for comment in Stuttgart.
