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Opel plant in Kaiserslautern: The car manufacturer wants to stop with combustion engines anyway
Photo: Uwe Anspach / picture alliance / dpa
The car manufacturer Opel pays a fine of 64.8 million euros in the diesel scandal.
The Frankfurt public prosecutor's office imposed the penalty because several Opel diesel models had emitted significantly higher levels of pollutants than the company had reported to the Federal Motor Transport Authority.
The company says it accepts the fine.
As early as February, according to a spokeswoman for the car company, the public prosecutor concluded the investigation against Opel "for breach of documentation requirements" when approving the diesel models. The company should pay a fine for this. This has now been paid, said the spokeswoman. A process like that at Volkswagen will therefore not exist at Opel. The Hessischer Rundfunk reported first.
The proceedings against six responsible managers were dropped for minor guilt and payment of conditions.
Opel attaches great importance to the determination that the notice of the fine does not contain any allegation of an intentional act or a criminal offense, in particular no fraud.
"It also does not contain a statement of an illegal defeat device," said a company spokesman.
Opel is still fundamentally convinced that all vehicles have complied with the legal requirements at all times.
The investigation was initiated by the German Environmental Aid Association.
In 2018, the Federal Motor Transport Authority imposed a mandatory recall on Opel models that had emitted significantly higher levels of pollutants on the road.
Opel then changed the software in the cars.
Another diesel scandal is no longer expected at the Rüsselsheim-based car company: In July, the company announced that it would only sell electric cars from 2028.
Opel is thus following announcements from Audi and Volvo that intend to exit the combustion engine market in the next few years.
jlk / dpa