The Pan-NOx (a.k.a “Dieselgate”) trial began in the UK high courts 30 days ago, on 13 October 2025. I’ve been trying to keep up-to-date with what has been happening in the court room, but since the first week of opening statements there has been very little information available online.
However, I have found a timetable for the trial online that gives some great insight! Below is the timetable for the trial, highlighting the stages the court is going through over the three month trial period.
Basically, the manufacturers are each getting set time to provide evidence, and this week the court will be hearing from Ford!
Dates: 13 October – 19 December 2025 (the Court will not sit on Fridays)
Week 1: Opening submissions by all Lead Parties, followed by evidence in the fields of climatology and normal driving conditions.
Lead manufacturer evidence:
• Mercedes: 29 Oct – 6 Nov;
• Ford: 10 Nov – 18 Nov AM;
• Peugeot-Citroën: 18 Nov PM – 27 Nov;
• Renault: 1 Dec – 9 Dec;
• Nissan: 10 Dec – 19 Dec.
Closing submissions: from 2 March 2026.
A damages (quantum) trial: listed for October 2026, subject to the outcome of the liability issues in these proceedings. This timetable is proceeding concurrently with the PDD Trial.
The time given to manufacturers will be their opportunity to explain if they used any sort of software/hardware to cheat tests and to provide their explanations as to why those devices aren’t technically against any rules. It’d be interesting to hear the justifications but I guess we’ll just have to wait until closer to the end of the trial for that!
You can still join dieselgate claim, click the button below to see if you’re eligible.
What led to the High Court Trial?
After nearly a decade of controversy, the UK is finally seeing its own Dieselgate reckoning. Millions of diesel car owners have joined forces to take on some of the world’s biggest car manufacturers, accusing them of cheating emissions rules and misleading customers.
The allegations echo the original 2015 Volkswagen scandal — that manufacturers installed “defeat devices” designed to detect when vehicles were being tested, temporarily cutting emissions to pass legal limits. Once back on the road, however, nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) emissions allegedly shot back up. The carmakers deny wrongdoing, claiming the systems were legitimate and needed to protect engines or ensure safety.
Inside the Courtroom
The landmark High Court trial kicked off in London on 13 October 2025, marking the beginning of what’s been called one of the UK’s largest consumer environmental cases. The defendants — including Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Renault, Nissan, and Peugeot-Citroën (Stellantis) — are being tested through a small sample of vehicles produced between 2012 and 2017.
During the opening week, claimants’ barrister Tom de la Mare KC set the tone by arguing that the evidence and the law “support our case at every turn.” The manufacturers pushed back, saying the claim oversimplifies highly technical emission control systems. As The Regulator Guy reported, early proceedings centred on defining what a “defeat device” actually is — and whether these systems were really designed to cheat.
The Latest Timetable: What’s Happening Now
According to the latest update from law firm Pogust Goodhead, which represents many of the claimants, the official trial timetable runs from 13 October to 19 December 2025, with the Court not sitting on Fridays. The first week focused on opening submissions from all parties, alongside expert evidence on climatology and normal driving conditions.
The manufacturers are now taking their turn in the witness box. The schedule is as follows: Mercedes-Benz (29 October – 6 November), Ford (10 – 18 November, morning), Peugeot-Citroën (18 November, afternoon – 27 November), Renault (1 – 9 December), and Nissan (10 – 19 December).
Closing submissions are due to begin on 2 March 2026, and — if the claimants succeed on liability — a separate damages (quantum) trial is already listed for October 2026. This timetable, Pogust Goodhead notes, is running concurrently with the related Prohibited Defeat Device (PDD) Trial.
This is the most up-to-date schedule we have on record and shows just how carefully structured — and long-running — this legal marathon will be.
What Comes Next
Once this first phase ends in December, the Court will break before returning for those final arguments in spring. A ruling on liability is expected sometime in mid-2026. If the claimants win, the compensation phase could lead to billions in payouts and set a powerful precedent for consumer-environmental litigation in the UK.
Environmental campaigners, meanwhile, are urging the government not to wait for the courts — calling for recalls and stronger emissions oversight now. For everyday drivers, though, it’s a waiting game.
