Skip to main content

US Department of Justice sues VW, Audi, and Porsche for alleged Clean Air Act violations

Volkswagen
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Volkswagen Group’s ongoing Dieselgate scandal was one of our top car stories of 2015, but it may end up being one of the biggest storylines of 2016 as well.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil complaint against Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act. The suit claims that nearly 600,000 diesel engines — approximately 499,000 2.0-liter units and 85,000 3.0-liter units — were fitted with an illegal defeat device used to fool emissions tests. When a test was being administered, the vehicles altered their emissions to comply with standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under normal driving conditions, however, the cars produced several times more nitrogen than allowed — up to 40 times the legal limit in the case of 2.0-liter engines and nine times the federal standard for 3.0-liter engines. Nitrogen has been linked to a variety of serious respiratory issues such as asthma.

Recommended Videos

“Car manufacturers that fail to properly certify their cars and that defeat emission control systems breach the public trust, endanger public health and disadvantage competitors,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The United States will pursue all appropriate remedies against Volkswagen to redress the violations of our nation’s clean air laws alleged in the complaint.”

“With today’s filing, we take an important step to protect public health by seeking to hold Volkswagen accountable for any unlawful air pollution, setting us on a path to resolution,” echoed Assistant Administrator Cynthia Giles for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “So far, recall discussions with the company have not produced an acceptable way forward. These discussions will continue in parallel with the federal court action.”

Dieselgate was first introduced to the public on September 18, 2015, when the EPA issued a notice of violation of the Clean Air Act. Since that date, Volkswagen Group has shuffled its management structure, cancelled diesel vehicle sales, and ramped up its focus on electrified models. VW has not officially commented on the suit at the time of this writing, but the brand’s head of passenger cars, Dr. Herbert Diess, will give a keynote address at CES 2016 on January 5, where he is expected to lay out the automaker’s plans for the future. The company currently faces approximately $18 billion in fines.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and EVs offer big incentives as year nears its end
chrysler dodge jeep ev incentives record my24 hybrid gallery 04 exterior desktop jpg image 1440

It’s no secret that automakers and dealerships typically climb over each other to offer the best incentives before the year ends. But this year’s sales season is expected to be particularly competitive, with slowing sales translating to greater urgency to clear inventory.

According to research from Kelley Blue Book, the respected vehicle-valuation firm, overall incentives on new vehicle sales were up by 60% in October compared to the previous year.

Read more
Jeep, Ram EREVs will get 690-mile range with new Stellantis platform
A 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger sits in a vineyard.

Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).

Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.

Read more
Self-driving vehicle rules set to loosen under Trump, report says
self driving looser rules trump screenshot 2024 10 at 54 56 pm 6708947b14810

Tesla “has been very clear the future is autonomous,” CEO Elon Musk said in October, shortly after unveiling the Cybercab, Tesla’s self-driving robotaxi.

It now seems that Musk, who was recently nominated to lead a newly-created "Department of Government Efficiency," is sharing his crystal ball with the incoming Trump administration.

Read more