In a statement, the German automaker said that based on its present knowledge, around 800,000 vehicles may be affected by this latest discovery, adding that it could cost the auto firm somewhere in the region of 2 billion euros (about $2.2 billion). But the company said Tuesday that most of the 800,000 cars were diesels and that it had discovered the new problem while investigating the software deception. The two main cars affected are the VW Polo and Golf, but a few cars from the Audi, Seat, and Skoda brands are also included.
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The affair erupted in September when USA authorities exposed VW’s use of “defeat devices” to cheat tests for emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxide. “That is the basis for the fundamental realignment that Volkswagen needs”, Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller said.
“We will stop at nothing”.
“This is a painful process, but it is our only alternative”, Mueller said in an e-mailed statement.
Late on Tuesday night VW Group announced that the company had identified “irregularities in Carbon dioxide levels” which had emerged as part of internal investigations. This means affected vehicles are more expensive to drive than their buyers had been led to believe.
However, Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the office for EPA’s enforcement and compliance assurance, said: “VW has once again failed its obligation to comply with the law that protects clean air for all Americans”.
VW’s shares fell to as low as 99.12 euros, 39 percent below its pre-crisis level, and were down 9.5 percent at 11:26 a.m.in Frankfurt.
Nevertheless, VW didn’t admit the allegations regarding the 3,0 litre engines made by the Environmental Protection Authority, saying no software had been installed to “alter emissions’ characteristics in a forbidden manner”.
Volkswagen must fully clear up an emissions cheating scandal concerning millions of vehicles, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said Wednesday. Originally, the company landed in hot water at the end of September for installing defeat devices on 2.0-liter engines that violated the emission standards for nitrogen oxide.
Volkswagen’s finances have already been hurt.
The diesel emissions scandal cost the CEO his job, and forced the group to set aside 6.7 billion euros ($7.4 billion) to cover recall costs.
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The holding company Porsche SE is controlled by the Piech and Porsche families who inherited the Volkswagen empire built by Ferdinand Porsche.
