It seems like we’ve been writing about the Volkswagen emissions scandal, better known as ‘Dieselgate’, for years. That’s because we have, almost half a decade, in fact. To complete the entire saga, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released a “final report” outlining how much the Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi and Porsche, paid to deceived car buyers in the United States: $ 9.5 billion. A repair scheme established in 2016 gave drivers two options: return their vehicle and receive financial compensation, or modify it to comply with emissions regulations. As expected, 86 percent opted for the cash option.
If you need a review (we don’t blame you if it does, it’s been a while), the Volkswagen group used “defeat devices” that they knew when they were being tested and consumed more fuel to deliver better emission scores. Subsequently, the vehicle would shift again (after all, customers care about fuel economy) and pump much more nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. As a result, the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, Martin Winterkorn, resigned and many employees were suspended. The scandal encouraged lawmakers to investigate other automakers and uncover similar hoaxes. It was also a factor in Volkswagen’s strategic move to the all-electric ID.x platform, starting with the Golf-sized ID.3 later this year.
