Overview
- High Court proceedings opened in London with evidence focused on 20 sample diesel vehicles from five lead defendants, chosen to guide around 1.6 million motorists’ claims.
- The three‑month evidence phase runs through December, with legal arguments scheduled for March 2026 and a liability judgment expected in summer 2026 before a separate damages phase.
- Claimants alleged manufacturers made a conscious choice to prioritise customer convenience and sales over NOx control, citing research estimating 124,000 premature deaths across the UK and EU since 2009.
- The defendants reject the allegations, calling the claims without merit and asserting regulatory compliance, with Renault’s counsel denying any prohibited defeat devices and Ford’s counsel labelling the case scientifically illiterate.
- The trial follows the UK court’s 2020 finding against Volkswagen and its £193 million settlement with 91,000 motorists in 2022, as well as more than €32 billion VW has paid globally.