French Ban on Mercedes-Benz Vehicles Could Expand Across Europe

France's refusal to register some of Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz vehicles that use an air-conditioning refrigerant banned by the European Union may spread to other members of the 28-nation EU.

The countries agreed today at a meeting of the EU's Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles that "corrective measures shall be taken" to ban the affected vehicles or force Daimler to bring them into compliance.

The EU agreed to ban the use of refrigerant R-134a which has a global warming potential of 1,430 in new cars sold in the region as of Jan. 1. Carmakers have been required to switch to HFO-1234yf, a new "green" refrigerant with a GWP of 4.

But Daimler refused to make the change, citing its own tests late last year which showed it was possible for 1234yf to ignite in a crash and release poisonous fumes. Backers of the new refrigerant note that it has been repeatedly been deemed safe by numerous tests since plans to ban R-134a were announced six years ago.

A group convened by SAE International to investigate Daimler's concerns concluded in April that 1234yf is "safe and effective." It also dismissed Daimler's test as "artificial" and "unrealistic."

France began earlier this month to block registrations of new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, B-Class CLA and SL models because the vehicles use R-134a. The European Commission said on Tuesday that the French ban was justified under the refrigerant directive.

The EC has given the German government until Aug. 20 to explain why it has allowed Daimler to ignore the refrigerant ban.