Washington DC - Volkswagen, which is set to provide detailed plans to fix vehicles that do not comply with US emissions standards, is facing more pressure from officials in Washington and California to buy back older diesel cars.
A California Air Resources Board spokesman said VW officials were scheduled to meet on Friday with CARB and the US Environmental Protection Agency to present detailed proposals for recalling and fixing about 482 000 vehicles sold in the United States with diesel engines that emit more smog-forming pollutants than allowed by law.
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VW cheat could require two fixes
California has set a 20 November deadline for Volkswagen to come up with a plan to fix the diesel cars affected by its rigging of emissions tests.
The carmaker said in September that about 11 million diesel powered cars were affected worldwide, including 482 000 in the United States.
Michael Horn, head of Volkswagen's US operations, said at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday: “I am personally hopeful we will be able to announce something soon about the remedies, and which we are discussing with the agencies in upcoming days.”
The CARB spokesman also confirmed that the agency's head, Mary Nichols, had said Volkswagen might have to buy back some of the older diesel models.
She was quoted as saying in an interview: “I think it is quite likely that they will end up buying back at least some portion of the fleet from the current owners.
Newer cars might get easy software fixes and medium generation ones might need software and hardware components to fix the issue, Nichols said, but older cars might have to be repurchased rather than fitted with new pollution control devices.
FAIR MARKET VALUE
Separately, Senators Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut have released a letter calling on Volkswagen to buy back diesel vehicles that don't meet pollution standards, noting that VW had signaled it could buy back cars sold in Europe that have inaccurate carbon dioxide emissions ratings.
Volkswagen has admitted understating CO2 emissions, and thus understating fuel consumption, for about 800 000 vehicles sold in Europe, and possibly more.
They wrote: “We additionally urge you to offer drivers the fair market value for these vehicles that was in place before VW's illegal activity was made publicly known.”
Volkswagen spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan declined to comment Thursday on the prospects of a US buyback for some of the diesel vehicles. She said VW planned to meet with US regulators on Friday to lay out plans and discuss remedies to fix the 482 000 vehicles.
Reuters
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