Renault accused of 25 years of emissions cheating by French authorities

The French anti-fraud agency DGCCRF says there are indications that the carmaker has falsified automotive emission test data – for the last 25 years. A French daily newspaper, Libération has published portions of the agency's report, which claims that Renault has, like Volkswagen, used a cheat device to modify the NOx emissions of its (diesel) vehicles.

Renault's problems stretch back much further than the Volkswagen scheme. The report says that the company's top brass, including CEO Carlos Ghosn, knew of the emissions falsifying the entire time, according to Deutsche Welle.

Renault vehemently denies any non-compliant large-scale emissions doctoring, especially by the use of any defeat device, in a statement released today. In addition, Renault calls the newspaper article "unbalanced", and that since the carmaker has no access to the investigation, there are no further comments to make.

Renault released a statement on the matter:

"Groupe Renault has acknowledged the publication of an unbalanced national newspaper article related to the "emission" case. This article alleges to quote selected excerpts from a report drafted by the DGCCRF.

Groupe Renault will not comment on a current investigation, the latter being confidential by nature and Renault having as yet no access to the case. As a consequence, Renault cannot confirm the veracity, completeness and reliability of the information published in said article. Renault will prove its compliance with the regulations and reserves its explanations for the Judges in charge of investigating this case."