Renault denies report of emissions cheating software

Renault is denying a report that its vehicles are equipped with software that allowed its vehicles to cheat on emissions testing.

Renault is denying a report that its vehicles are equipped with software that allowed its vehicles to cheat on emissions testing.

At French car maker Renault headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, west of Paris. French car-maker Renault is suspected of installing a device to cheat emmsission tests. (AFP)

The statement Wednesday from the French carmaker followed a report in the newspaper Liberation, which claimed to have obtained an investigative document from the Economy Ministry indicating that emissions from two models — the Renault Captur and the Clio IV — spewed emissions more than 300% higher than the legal limit in real-life conditions.

The ministry’s fraud department handed its findings to prosecutors in November.

French authorities raided Renault premises after Volkswagen was found to have used software to cheat on U.S. diesel emissions tests. Renault recalled 15,000 cars last year over excessive levels of harmful gases, but the company insisted there was no intentional wrongdoing.