Mercedes-Benz Isn’t Fine With Paying Fines Anymore

Two years ago Mercedes-Benz was fined just under $30 million for being over the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are regulations made in the United States that require manufacturers’ fleet of cars to average a set fuel efficiency standard. These standards came into play after the 1973 Arabic oil embargo. Should a manufacturer not meet the standard, they are to pay a fine if they wish to continue to sell their models in Amurrica.

Since 1983, however, Mercedes-Benz has missed the CAFE standard and has paid over $200 million in fines as a result. But that won’t be a continuing trend according to product development chief Thomas Weber.

Says Weber “From 2010 on, we won’t pay anything, That’s clearly our goal”.

Uh. Should that not have been the goal from the get go?

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