The Environmental Protection Agency says Volkswagen programmed the emissions control systems on 482,000 cars it sold in the U.S. to work only when they were being tested by air quality regulators. Included are Diesel versions of the Jetta, Golf, Passat, Beetle, and Audi A3 sold between 2009 and 2015. When they weren’t being tested, the cars got better fuel mileage but spewed nearly 40 times more nitrogen oxides into the air. (There’s no reports that other pollutants increased.) Far from denying the accusation, Volkswagen has apologized and halted sales of the offending cars.
Volkswagen (which also makes Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, and several other brands that are not sold in the U.S.) had hopes of dramatically increasing its market share in the United States. But this news is a black mark on the company, both from a public relations view and a penalty view, as fines could be as high as $18 billion. As one industry observer says, “this is a disaster of monumental proportions” for the company, whose share price has fallen more than 20 percent since the EPA announcement.
While the Antiplanner has admired Volkswagen for its pioneering work with self-driving cars, the truly sad part is that this may perpetuate American resistance to Diesel power. Based on research by MIT scientists, it is likely that three simple technologies will allow auto manufacturers to cost-effectively meet Obama’s 54.5 mpg target by 2025: streamlining, use of aluminum in place of steel (carbon does even better but is far more costly), and Diesel engines, which are popular in Europe but not so well regarded here. While Diesels aren’t absolutely critical to meeting the fuel-economy targets, they are more cost-effective than most alternatives.
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Perhaps it’s because I’m a cyclist and have to breathe auto emissions, but I’ve always suspected Diesel cars are unpopular in America because they stink. Volkswagen’s costly gaffe won’t improve their reputation.
From a moral point of view, Volkwagen’s crime is probably not as bad as General Moters’. Still, this raises the question of whether any other auto makers also installed air pollution “defeat devices” in their cars. While it can’t be very widespread–the air today is far cleaner than it was 45 years ago when Congress first passed the Clean Air Act–if more examples are found, the carmakers that used them will deserve whatever fines they must pay.
Antiplanner wrote:
“and Diesel engines, which are popular in Europe but not so well regarded here. ”
Not in Europe any more. The politicians have belatedly noticed that the CO2 emissions from diesel engines may be slightly lower, but emissions of everything else is way up. Politicians are talking about charging people to use diesel cars in towns and cities, which is a bit tough after the same politicians encouraged the same drivers to buy diesel cars.
Anyway, cars are not necessarily the best choice for everyone.
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/09/more-towns-are-falling-in-love-with-golf-carts/406081/
It’s likely that this extreme federal regulation will be thrown out when the GOP takes the executive branch in 2017, as they’re likely to. Diesels are dirty. Walking around Toyko, which effectively banned diesels ten years ago, is a breath of fresh air compared to Hong Kong or London where most of the passenger and commercial vehicles are diesel powered.
The USA is awash in natural gas. I expect commercial vehicle manufacturers will switch from diesel to natural gas over the next decade to reduce costs and emissions. Passenger cars too, if that nonsensical CAFE target is brought down to a saner number.
Having driven diesel rental cars in Europe, I can also say they are a bit messier at the filling station, since the fuel is a smelly oil which tends to seep and never go away unless cleaned off, as opposed to petrol which quickly evaporates.
While I’m car free my sweetie owns a diesel Saab — a dead model, unfortunately — which I sometimes drive. In Switzerland. It can be balky in cold weather but is otherwise fine. Not at all smelly / stinky.
VW story is of course giant news here at the moment. Shock levels are quite high — rightly so I’d say.
On what planet is lying to the government disgraceful?
It is disgraceful to tell them the truth, or to speak to them at all.
Stumm.
Omerta.
VW complied with the letter of the law, but not the global warming “purpose”. They deserve moral condemnation but they just found yet another loophole in the the socialist legal system, just like Obama found a loophole in the Nobel Prize system.
The more complicated the legal/regulatory structure, the more loopholes will be created, and the free market is just made to find hidden scarcity/loopholes.
Hey, that explains why some of those VW diesels smelled so badly, while others didn’t!
I must have screwed up the Cummins nat gas link in the first post. Impressive spark ignition specs:
Advertised Power: 400 hp
Peak Torque: 1450 lb-ft
Governed Speed: 2,100 rpm
Type: 4-stroke cycle, spark-ignited, inline 6-cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled
Displacement: 726.2 cu. in.