Cheers, protests as German court lets cities ban diesel cars

BERLIN (AP) — A German court ruled Tuesday that cities can ban diesel cars and trucks to combat air pollution, a decision with wide-ranging and costly implications that marks a turning point for diesel vehicles in Germany.

While environmentalists cheered and business groups protested the decision by the Federal Administrative Court, the German government scrambled to reassure drivers it would seek to prevent such drastic measures. Confusion ensued over who would take the financial hit — diesel owners or car companies — if people could not drive their vehicles into German cities.

Shares in German car companies were down following the ruling, with Volkswagen hit the hardest.