French emissions fraud investigation clears Opel, but not others.

French investigators have cleared Opel, but not four other vehicle brands sold in France, following a probe into diesel emissions.

France’s consumer fraud watchdog says it has closed its investigation into diesel emissions by Opel cars, having found no “facts constituting an infraction of fraud,” and will take no further action against it.

The DGCCRF investigation, part of a wider survey carried out in the wake of the Volkswagen diesel test-cheating scandal, “did not bring to light any evidence of fraud”, the government agency says.

The watchdog has previously sent files to prosecutors detailing suspected emissions fraud by Fiat Chrysler, Renault and the PSA Group – the maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars,

It has been reported that PSA agreed recently to buy Opel in a deal valuing the business at 2.2 billion euros. (NZ$3.39 billion).

The ministry says the DGCCRF has handed documents to French courts relating to emissions controls concerning Volkswagen, Renault, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot Citroen. Now it is up to the French justice system to determine whether to send the companies to trial.