Partial all-clear from Volkswagen

Volkswagen AG claims “it is now clear that almost all of these model variants do correspond to the CO₂ figures originally determined. This means that these vehicles can be marketed and sold without any limitations.“

Volkswagen adds that just a month after questions relating to the CO₂ figures measured on some of the Group's models arose, the company “has largely concluded the clarification of the matter, following extensive internal investigations and measurement checks.“

VW says that the “suspicion that the fuel consumption figures of current production vehicles had been unlawfully changed was not confirmed. During internal remeasurements slight deviations were found on just nine model variants of the Volkswagen brand“.

These model variants will be remeasured by a neutral technical service under the supervision of the appropriate authority by Christmas, notes VW. In cases where the correctness of original figures is confirmed, there will be no consequences.

These cars can be offered for sale by dealers without any reservations. In the case of any deviations, the figures will be adjusted in the future in the course of the normal processes as required.

Volkswagen presented these results to the investigation commission of the Federal Government and the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). The figure of approximately 800,000 vehicles under suspicion originally published by the Volkswagen Group has not been confirmed.

The deviations found in the figures for only nine model variants amount to a few grams of CO₂ on average, corresponding to increased cycle consumption in the NEDC of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres. With an annual production of approximately 36,000 vehicles, these model variants correspond to around only 0.5 per cent of the volume of the Volkswagen brand.

The Group's subsidiaries Audi, SKODA and SEAT have also agreed a similar procedure with the approval authorities responsible for the vehicles initially considered.

Customers' real-world consumption figures do not change and neither are any technical vehicle modifications necessary. Against this background, the negative impact on earnings of €2 billion that was originally expected “has not been confirmed, but whether we will have a minor economic impact, depends on the results of the remeasurement exercise.“