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Friday, July 26, 2013EARLIER this month, France banned the sale of many of Mercedes latest models, complaining that the car maker, whose parent is Daimler, used a polluting air-conditioning refrigerant that emits excessive greenhouse gases.Daimler has refused to stop using the air-conditioning refrigerant R134a prompting France to halt registrations of Mercedes A-class, B-class and SL cars built after June 12.However in a bout of fortune for Mercedes, a French court yesterday (Thursday) declared that the French environment ministry must now re-examine the government’s decision.R134a is a global warming agent more than 1400 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The French environment ministry has 10 days to decide whether to continue or abandon the ban on Mercedes models. If the French continue with the ban, it will affect two per cent of Mercedes global sales, equating to about 29,000 cars annually.Since January 1,2013, European Union official demand that car makers use a cleaner R1234yf refrigerant, which is less polluting than older products.But Daimler is sticking to R134a, an older coolant, as it claims studies have shown that the new gas catches fire more easily and puts cars at a greater risk of explosion in cases of a crash.In Germany, Daimler was given special permission to keep using the older gas. It is sticking to its guns, hoping that in the next few years, a safer version of the coolant will be available.Although the car giant points out France is the only country to ban Mercedes sales because of the objection to the continued use of R134a, nevertheless, last month the European Commission threatened sanctions against car makers using the refrigerant.A Daimler spokesman said: We welcome the positive decision of the French court, which clearly rejected the French registration authority (decision) to prevent the registration of our cars.”A car is being assembled in the manufacturing plant of Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary. (PHOTO: AP)
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Mercedes sales still banned in France
