For Daimler's Mercedes-Benz passenger car division, the statutory CO2 target is a long way off. The value rose 2018 in the fleet cut to 134 grams of CO2 per kilometer, said the manufacturer. Last year, he had been 125 grams. From 2020/21 Mercedes must reach a value of 105 grams.

The main reason for the higher fleet value is the high demand for heavy SUVs. They are increasingly equipped with gas-guzzling petrol engines. Cars with somewhat more economical diesel engines could be sold heavier in the course of the exhaust gas scandal. For the first time since 2007, the Swabians were therefore unable to lower their CO2 emissions in 2016.

In addition, the WLTP exhaust gas measuring system introduced in 2018 has increased CO2 levels. The values ​​would still be converted into the old NEDC standard. But since the WLTP test is much stricter, the converted values ​​were higher, they said.

E-cars should bring the turnaround in 2020

Mercedes will now rely even more on electric cars, said Jochen Hermann, head of development for electric drives at the Daimler subsidiary. The number of models with pure battery or hybrid drive would increase by 2020 from five last year to 20. This year, the first model of the new E-car brand EQ from Mercedes is launched on the market, the EQC. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said last week, the demand is high, it comes to longer waiting times.

Despite the increase in CO2 emissions, Daimler expects to reach the 2020/21 target, a company spokesperson explained. The automakers have to reduce the CO2 emissions of new cars in the European Union on average to 95 grams per kilometer by 2020/21, which corresponds to a reduction of 40 percent compared to 2007.

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CO2 goals: who manages, who messes up

If the manufacturer does not comply with the requirement, severe penalties are imminent: For each gram too much, a penalty of EUR 95 will be charged for each vehicle sold. Since Daimler sells about one million cars a year in Europe, ten grams of too much CO2 equals a penalty of just under a billion euros.

Daimler and other manufacturers could help the electric car stronghold of Norway: the sales there are now included in the calculation - and could push the calculated CO2 emissions by one or two decisive grams of carbon dioxide.