COMMENT: At IAA 2017, German OEMs flaunt green credentials as Merkel turns the screw

It has been nearly two full years since Dieselgate broke. In the early days of the scandal, the focus was all on one company – Volkswagen – and the world’s second largest OEM has paid a high price. In the US alone, a court decision in April 2017 approved a US$4.3bn fine, and the company has agreed to put aside US$25bn to settle US claims.

But in the weeks, months and years that followed, the entire industry has come under scrutiny for its practices. PSA Group is among the latest to feel the heat – just days ago, the EU levelled claims against PSA of installing illegal software in at least nearly two million Euro 5 diesels. The OEM denies wrongdoing. Other automotive companies have faced similar allegations, including FCA and supplier Bosch.

As such, diesel is a dirtier word than ever, and whilst 2017 will not be the first year IAA has proven a showcase for electrification, it would be strange if this year was