Top German automakers halt sales of some plug-in hybrid cars - report

Top German automakers halt sales of some plug-in hybrid cars - report
FILE PHOTO: The BMW logo is seen on a vehicle at the New York Auto Show in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo Copyright Shannon Stapleton(Reuters)
By Reuters
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(Reuters) - Volkswagen AG <VOWG_p.DE>, BMW AG <BMWG.DE> and Daimler AG-owned Mercedes-Benz <DAIGn.DE> have halted sales of some of their plug-in hybrid cars in Europe in the wake of new emissions regulations, Automotive News reported http://europe.autonews.com/article/20180927/ANE/180929899/vw-bmw-mercedes-porsche-stop-plug-in-hybrid-sales-on-new-wltp on Thursday.

The new Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) regime, which went into effect on Sept. 1, gives higher CO2 readings than the old New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) system, pushing vehicles into a higher tax bracket.

The new rules could take away tax incentives offered to cars with ultra-low emissions in certain countries, the Automotive News report said.

Automakers have to decide whether the extra cost to fit a bigger battery is worth the incentives given, according to the report.

The introduction of WLTP has forced some carmakers to withhold non-conforming models from showrooms, prompting them to discount other models to defend their market share.(https://reut.rs/2QYxxKH)

(Reporting by Bharath Manjesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

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