Germany to makers: Pay up to fix diesel cars

The German government BERLIN — is putting pressure on the country’s automakers to fix their diesel cars that have excessive emissions, in a bid to placate drivers angered by the prospect of diesel driving bans in major cities.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet agreed upon a series of measures Wednesday that includes upgrades for older vehicles affected by the diesel scandal, preventing them from being subjected to diesel driving bans in certain cities.

“It’s not acceptable that the auto industry is paying a lot of money in America, but makes a huge fuss over a few hundred euros here,” Merkel said at an election rally late Tuesday, calling on carmakers to stop penny-pinching when it comes to fixing the cars they sold to consumers with misleading emissions claims.

The German transport ministry has said it believes about 2.2 million vehicles need upgrades.

Merkel’s unusually harsh words toward Germany’s powerful auto industry came the day before a court in Mainz considered whether a ban on diesel-powered cars is permissible to prevent air pollution in the city.

Diesel vehicles are a significant source of nitrogen oxides, or NOx, which can be harmful to human health. The Mainz administrative court decided Wednesday that the city would have to prepare to implement a ban on older diesel vehicles by Sept. 1, 2019 if NOx levels cannot be reduced by then.

Merkel’s party and her coalition allies, the Social Democrats, are projected to face steep losses in the Hesse state election on Sunday, while the environmentalist The Greens party has seen a surge in opinion polls in recent weeks.