Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson announced Tuesday that the state is in line for several million dollars from a national settlement with Volkswagen.
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Today’s announcement is part of a series of state and federal agreements that will provide cash payments to affected consumers and require Volkswagen to buy back or modify certain VW and Audi 2.0-liter diesel vehicles.
Nine months after state and federal regulators said Volkswagen had equipped its 2.0-liter diesel vehicles with “defeat devices” to cheat emissions tests, the automaker has agreed to pay up to $14.7 billion in a slew of settlements.
In either case, if you owned the vehicle on or before September 18, VW will pay you $5,100 to $10,000 for your trouble, depending on the age of the auto and whether you owned it on or before September 18.
Number of cars with 2-liter diesel engines in the USA that Volkswagen has agreed to buy back or fix under a settlement released Tuesday. In addition, VW will pay almost $2.9 million in fines to the state for repeated violations of state consumer protection laws. It still faces billions more in fines and penalties as well as possible criminal charges.
The proposed settlements, which are still subject to court approval, have a number of provisions for owners and lessees of the affected vehicles.
Volkswagen will also offer to fix the cars for free, but any repair that improves the pollution controls will likely hurt the cars’ acceleration and fuel economy.
The company will also spend $4.7 billion “to mitigate the pollution from these cars and invest in green vehicle technology”, including $1.18 that will go to California.
There are 475,474 cars in the US affected by the settlement, and they include the the following models equipped with 2.0-liter, TDI engines: the 2013-2015 VW Beetle, the 2010-2015 VW Golf, the 2009-2015 VW Jetta, the 2012-2015 VW Passat and the 2010-2013;2015 Audi A3.
The payout has been described by lawyers as the largest car-related class-action settlement in United States history. So, the payments will range from a minimum of $5,100 up to $10,000.
Owners can start submitting information to Volkswagen on July 26, 2016, at https://www.vwcourtsettlement.com.
“This historic agreement holds Volkswagen accountable for its betrayal of consumer trust and requires Volkswagen to fix the environmental damage it caused”, said Elizabeth Cabraser, the lead attorney for consumers who sued the company.
The agreement does not resolve pending claims for civil penalties or any claims concerning the 80,000 larger 3.0-liter premium diesel vehicles.
Environmental Mitigation Fund Volkswagen will pay $2.7 billion into a trust to support environmental programs throughout the country to reduce emissions of NOx.
Poetsch said the US agreement will allow VW “to take another important step toward overcoming the diesel issue”.
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US Investigators determined that the cars emitted more than 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide, which can cause breathing problems.
