As Emissions Scandal Widens, Diesel’s Future Looks Shaky in Europe
Diesel’s fuel economy also made it easier for BMW, Daimler
and Audi to achieve dominance in the luxury car market in Europe, where the cost of fuel is often four times the cost of gasoline in the United States.
A consumer rebellion against diesel — once the fuel of choice in Europe — is gathering momentum after the region’s antitrust authorities said this week
that they were looking into accusations that German carmakers secretly agreed to cut corners on pollution equipment.
On Saturday, the German magazine Der Spiegel reported
that for decades Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW had colluded to hold down the price of key technologies, including emissions equipment.
“In light of the diesel scandal, forbidden collusion creates a kind of super meltdown for the credibility of the German auto industry,”
Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, said in a statement.
