Volkswagen Cleared for Big European Diesel Fix; Company Claims No Power or Mileage Loss
Volkswagen can start hauling the first of 800,000 Passat, CC and Eos models off of European streets after a German regulator granted approval to the automaker’s diesel emissions fix.
The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) says there’s nothing wrong with the plan to bring 2.0-liter diesel versions of those models into compliance with pollution laws. No doubt Volkswagen execs are happy to cross off another thing off their “to do” list.
About 8.5 million vehicles were sidelined by the company’s diesel emissions scandal, but removing their emissions-cheating “defeat devices” has been a slow, painful and wildly expensive process. In the U.S., the automaker plans to finalize a buyback program for nearly 500,000 vehicles by mid-summer.
Unlike most recalled U.S. vehicles, this European crop won’t be spirited away to the automotive afterlife, leaving owners holding a pile of company cash. Volkswagen promises a “retrofit campaign” that allows owners to drive their diesel to a dealer or authorized partner for the fix. They’ll even get a free “mobility option” to get them around while the diesel docs work on their car. (This sounds like a loaner, but being Europe, there’s still a chance they’ll hand you a bike.)
After these 800,000 vehicles clear out, another 2.0-liter recall will begin.
In its official release, the automaker gave few details on its “technical solution,” instead assuring owners that, “Following the retrofit, the cars will meet all legal requirements.”
The U.S. recall taught us that older models were harder to retrofit, and risked becoming slower and thirstier once fixed. Volkswagen doesn’t hint any any of those issues for the European recall.
“The KBA has also confirmed unequivocally that the technical solutions for these models will not result in any changes to the fuel consumption, performance or noise emissions of the vehicles concerned,” the automaker said in a release. “The KBA had previously confirmed this for all of the other vehicles for which the recall has been approved to date.”
[Image: © 2015 Mark Stevenson/The Truth About Cars]
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“The KBA has also confirmed unequivocally that the technical solutions for these models will not result in any changes to the fuel consumption, performance or noise emissions of the vehicles concerned...” That leaves durability, and/or cost, and/or DEF consumption. Obviously, VW is eating the cost of this repair, and durability is TBD. So my guess is that VW cheated solely due to cost containment, which hasn't worked out so well.
Laughable. All TDI Amaroks in Australia have already been "fixed", perhaps since OZ has the loosest emissions standards this side of the Congo. All they're doing is removing the "cheat device", and away they go. Full dirty emissions, all the time.