Since 2009, Volkswagen Korea has branded its diesel engines as “clean diesel”, “eco-friendly” and “Blue Motion” – the company’s original emission reduction technology – in promotions.
Advertisement
This latest issue to come to light follows on the heels of the stunning and damaging admission by Volkswagen that 11 million of its diesel-engine vehicles were fitted with devices created to cheat emissions tests, and a subsequent revelation that carbon emission test results of VW petrol vehicles had also been manipulated.
Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European commissioner for industrial policy, argued that the company should treat European consumers the same as those in the U.S. Though details of the fix it submitted to U.S. regulators havent been published, the carmaker offered Volkswagen owners $1,000 in compensation as a good-will gesture.
The Korean government last week had slapped a recall order on 125,522 Volkswagen vehicles that are suspected of being equipped with its controversial emission-rigging program to get higher energy-saving grades in the country.
The suit states that discovery will reveal additional model years of affected vehicles, including: VW Touareg (2013 – 2016), Audi A6 (2014 – 2016), Audi A7 (2014 – 2016), Audi A8 (2014 – 2016), Audi A8L (2014 – 2016), Audi Q5 (2014 – 2016), Audi Q7 (2013 – 2016) and Porsche Cayenne (2014 – 2016). In an interview with the German newspaper Donaukurier, published Thursday, Stadler said Audi is investigating whether workers deliberately installed what they knew to be defeat devices.
At the same time, authorities in Germany and in California have mounted new investigations into the scandal. So far, no individuals have been charged.
On November 25, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) sent an In Use Compliance letter notifying Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche to start the process necessary to recall and fix illegal emissions software in all 3-liter diesel vehicles, model years 2009-2015, sold in California.
Advertisement
An Audi spokesperson on Friday told Edmunds the CARB filing and timeframe was expected.
