Ford Motor Co.(NYSE:F) is the latest automaker to be hit by the emissions scandal that’s already dented the reputation of Volkswagen.
A class-action lawsuit filed Thursday in a Michigan federal court alleges that the iconic car manufacturer conspired with German parts maker Bosch GmbH in a scheme to evade US emission requirements for the sake of profit.
Based on independent testing by law firm Hagens Berman, which represents owners of Ford 250 and 350 Super Duty Trucks, the expected emissions results and touted fuel efficiency can only be achieved by software that switches off or lowers emissions controls whenever the onboard system detects a vehicle isn’t being monitored or tested.
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According to the suit, the trucks also spew harmful pollutants, including nitrous oxide (NOx), at a rate as much as 50 times above the legal US limit.
In addition, attorneys claim that diesel trucks cost US$8,400 more than their gasoline counterparts, and the companies deceived consumers by calling the trucks “fuel efficient” – a result the suit claims is only achievable by manipulating the software to turn off emissions controls.
“In my opinion, based on our testing where under real-world conditions these trucks are 30 to 50 times the standard, Ford should have called these ‘Super Dirty’ not ‘Super Duty,’” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman, in a statement.
Hagens Berman also filed a suit against VW after the US Environmental Protection Agency cited German automaker Volkswagen in 2015 with intentionally falsifying its emissions in some of its diesel models, leading to a greater-than-promised release of harmful pollutants.
Ford shares were flat in premarket trading.