A German court has ruled in favor of environmental protection group Deutsche Umwelthilfe, initiated by the NGO against the German Federal Vehicle Registration Office in connection with the Volkswagen Golf’s exhaust gas recirculation system.


According to the lawsuit against VW, the affected Golfs program does not adequately limit the vehicles’ nitrogen oxide emissions, so it is conceivable that the affected models’ license will have to be revoked. Environmentalists believe these cars shouldn’t be licensed in the first place. Volkswagen stated that it will deal with the next step after studying the court’s decision, reports A Reuters.

The court detailed the reason for its decision, and they came to the conclusion that the system intended to reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions of these cars only works effectively between 15 and 33 degrees Celsius. Below and above this temperature range, the EGR control software limits recirculation because it can damage the engine. And since the annual temperature in Europe is often below 15 degrees, cars often emit more nitrogen oxide than is allowed.