VW Faces $17B Fine for Emissions Scam

The US penalties are the tip of the iceberg.. Added attention to 2016 models tests, civil lawsuits relating to the performance of the cars after they are recalled/fixed and over false advertising, criminal penalties, etc are all going to trickle out and damage the VW group's reputation. OTOH, they could accelerate the group's shift to alternative fuels or electrics.

 

Like I said if it's US only the hit is overblown. If it damages them in Europe and/or China then the stock will keep falling. VW was not doing well before this scandel.

Volkswagen has massive sales problems in America - Business Insider

Most of the audi and all the porsche are gasoline, so I don't think this will hit those brands. The history of vw is not good. I think the CEO was probably going before this, and my guess is he took the blame because he should have known this was happening. That is inexcusable.

 

are we sure other diesel mfg.'s aren't gaming the system? i hope all vehicle models were checked.

 

Volkswagen’s dirty mission: Where’s the beginning and where’s the end? | Ars Technica

"But it is not just emissions compliance that's under the microscope here. If—and that’s a big if—VW is allowed to repair the affected cars in the US market through a recall, it is virtually assured that the label values for those vehicles' fuel economy ratings will be void. VW will have therefore effectively falsified the EPA mileage ratings of 482,000 cars. And that may be more than just an EPA issue. It may involve the Department of Commerce."

 

Don't overlook the long term implications of this VW admission. Diesels meeting future emission standards will be really complicated engine systems. That complexity may be the real worry for diesel proponents.

 

Talking about timing, VW just released this commercial showing a Gen 3 Prius, then farm animals in a residential front lawn, solar panel installation and a guy putting on a sticker on his Gen 2 Prius.
Audi A3 e-tron® “New Arrival” commercial

New E-Tron - Is this range normal? | Speak EV - Electric Car Forums

 

Troy!

What's the German for Schadenfreude?

Volkswagen US CEO Michael Horn admits carmaker 'totally screwed up' after emissions scandal - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

No correction, yet: Steenman: Portland Green Test Drive. What we did and why we did it. | Steenman Associates

The Green Human team drove a 2009 Clean Burning Diesel Jetta and a 2008 Toyota Hybrid across the country almost 8,000 through a wide variety of terrain and conditions from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon via the Eastern seaboard, Florida and Colorado.

Our goal was not to repeat previous tests, nor to challenge previous results. There are already lots of reviews and stats on each vehicle which anyone with an internet connection and enough time on their hands can read and use to support their own conclusions. We chose instead to do an “experiential” experiment where our objective was to intensively drive and experience the cars in a real world environment traveling a significant distance over a relatively short time.
. . .​

The original stunt:

• 'cheated' EPA numbers 3x, now known to be 10-40x worse
• ~64% of survey users chose Prius

His business model is "A FULL SERVICE ADVERTISING AGENCY AND DIGITAL SERVICES FIRM." The only remaining question is credibility.

Bob Wilson

 

Smog not yet cleared. Takes time...

 

Things are getting messy for the world No. 1 automaker

Volkswagen admits 11 mn cars have pollution cheating device - Yahoo News

 

Klasterfukk

This is probably on the minds of many vw owners and employees

 

It appears as we first suspected - they've been doing it for years and in Europe too;

VW emissions scandal hits 11m vehicles - BBC News

11 million cars now affected.

How's the VW share price going to go?

Edit: additional link with more info: Volkswagen US boss says 'we screwed up' - BBC News

 

Down another 23% today, so 43% in total over the past 2 days! Das Kaput Auto!

 

We had to endure "clean" diesel spin for years. They knew gas hybrids offered greater potential, yet the rhetoric continues on anyway. Sadly, some has continued on even after being exposed for not being as clean as claimed. We knew that the "clean" claim was misleading right from the start. That simply meant it met minimum requirements. Exceeding them, as the SULEV & PHEV rating indicate, was certainly not what "clean" diesel delivered. It basically just made diesel vehicles like ordinary gas vehicles. No one imagined the "clean" level wasn't achieved either.

What we want is significant improvement. Watching Toyota push into new territory with gen-4 Prius should serve as inspiration for others, not result in more undermining. That potential should be obvious. Adding a plug to Prius pushes it far beyond what diesel could aspire to. Even with the current 4.4 kWh battery-pack, there's no match with either efficiency or emissions... not even close.

Put simply, diesel shouldn't be used for passenger vehicles anymore, just like our effort with hybrids to end the production of traditional vehicles. Offering viable hybrids is the key. Keeping our air clean and relying less on oil is a big deal. Having learned there are some who don't share those values and caused harm on an epic scale should help us all take that next step.

 

I agree the overall implication turns out USA went with the correct cleaner fuel (gasoline vs. diesel), despite all the past rhetoric that Europe/diesel was the correct path. One problem for Europe is the diesel preference goes hand-in-hand with a refinery system that does not make as much gasoline. Assuming EU would probably rather fight than switch to gasoline, EV may indeed be popular there as a diesel alternative.

 

Next car we "might". The trouble with Mazda that we have, is strictly dealer-related. Not the greatest dealer network around, but the only one locally I've had great dealings with is Toyota. I know that it's different everywhere, but many of our local dealers are not the greatest. I have family that takes Hyundais and other makes to the Toyota dealer for service and estimates.

Currently, the Mazda 3 and the Mazda 6 are on the potential list, and it's not a huge list either.

 

EPA threatens astronomical fines, lawyers get involved, Yota pays a few million and plants some trees. 15 years later it is all but forgotten. Yota is the #2 ranked manufacturer. In VW's case its years from the outcome, and the facts as to what VW/EPA/WVU/or the Feds fault is yet.

 

We are at a transition period where EV, Hybrid, fuel cell, and diesel are the possible future majority. It will take decades to fully transition away from ICE only cars. Who will dominate in 25 to 50 years? I seriously doubt it will be diesel.

 

On the one hand I can't help but feel sorry for so many who were duped into believing the "Clean Diesel" hype and bought a VW Diesel thinking they were doing something positive.

On the other hand I can't help but go

 

I moved from a Mazda3 hatchback to the Prius 3. The reason I did so was the solar roof option. The M is a great car. I had the 2.0L i Grand Touring automatic. It was good on fuel, around 30-31mpg in all local short trips and 40-42 on the highway. The Prius beats those numbers by a huge margin of course and although tape measure numbers suggest differently it feels much roomier as well. That solar roof is the best thing since sliced bread though.