Posted on 09/18/2015 11:14:17 AM PDT by Reaganez
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California officials say some 482,000 Volkswagen and Audi diesels were engineered to falsify their emissions for federal tests—a violation that opens the German automaker to a theoretical fine totaling $18 billion.
The EPA and California Air Resources Board say the affected models had software in its computer engine controls that could sense exactly when it was being tested for emissions quality. At all other times, it would run the diesels in a different mode with illegal levels of pollution; for example, spewing up to 40 times more nitrogen oxide, a key component of smog, than allowed.
While other automakers have been accused of violating the Clean Air Act, this is the first time one has been found to have designed software specifically to circumvent the rules. The notice issued by the EPA and CARB today was the first step in a process that will likely lead to a recall of the affected models with 2-liter turbodiesel engines by VW; the agencies told owners that the vehicles are still safe to drive.
The affected cars include VW Jettas, Beetles, Golfs and Audi A3s with diesel engines from the 2009 to 2015 model years, along with diesel VW Passats from 2014-2015.
Knock List ping.
Good for them. They run great and get wonderful mileage .
Too big to fine?
I bet a plea bargain is in the works.
They should be sentenced to producing only electric cars for the next 20 years.
By the way, when will we see the first all-electric semi-truck?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California officials say some 482,000 Volkswagen and Audi diesels were engineered to falsify their emissions for federal tests -- a violation that opens the German automaker to a theoretical fine totaling $18 billion.I think that's $ 373,443.98 per vehicle.
I want one.
AI is making progress.....
... the affected models had software in its computer engine controls that could sense exactly when it was being tested for emissions quality
So the regulations specify the emissions limits under defined operating conditions, and the maker designs an engine around the government's specifications. Now the government changes the rules. Typical government.
And OMG, see how much harm has been caused! By the emissions, I mean.
Me too. A TDI has been on my toy list for a long time. Now that I’ve got the EPA’s list of good ones, I can narrow the field.
You have to hand it to German engineering. Cat, Cummins, IH, etc. got powned by the EPA years ago.
Illegal levels of pollution in those European model diesels translates to more pollution per gallon burned but less pollution per mile driven. The distinction is political rather than useful. The government does not want more efficient cars. It wants NO personal cars.
That is not what they did.
They detected emissions testing and reduced nitrous oxide emissions only during testing.
Breath in those particulates for a few years and ask how much harm it is doing.
So where are you buying your tin hats?
Breath in those particulates for a few years and ask how much harm it is doing.
Taken together, that pair of statements looks rather odd if you know that Nitrous Oxide is not particulate.
The news source for this tidbit is not called “Yahoo” for nothing.
You want REALLY clean-burning Diesel engines? Fuel them with Compressed Natural Gas.
In fact, CNG should be much more widely available than it now is, for both spark-ignition and compression-ignition vehicle engines.
That aside, urea-injection exhaust systems do a very good job of cleaning up NOx emission, they are widely used on light-duty pickup trucks and on Mercedes Diesels sold in this country.
I still believe that a lot may be done using either a fully recirculating steam power unit with a condensation unit, based on the Abner Doble designs of the 1920’s.
And how was this done?
-- Breath in those particulates for a few years and ask how much harm it is doing. --
NOx particulates? LOL. at any rate, particulate emissions are lower now than they were in years gone by. I'm not going to assert they are for sure harmless, but dosage matters. Your body will die if it does not get arsenic, and it will die if it gets too much arsenic. I know arsenic and particulates are not the same thing, but dosage matters.
I’ve driven a Jetta TDI for 5 years now. Love it.
I like my Passat TDI even more. 48 mpg highway and pissing off a liberal at the same time.
Yes good for them !!!!
Soon as they can work out the extra long extension cords, and keep them from tangling.
I operated heavy equipment for years—and years before the damned EPA was even a spurt in Nixon’s statist pants.
Particulate exhaust never harmed me, and by nature is not airborne long. Diesels are much more efficient than gasoline engines and thereby less polluting, but tyranny cares nothing for inconvenient facts.
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