VW Group Admits CO2 And MPG Figures Could Be Wrong On 800,000 Cars

It’s shaping up to be another week from hell for Wolfsburg, as VW Group’s emissions scandal widens. The Environmental Protection Agency has already announced that it is investigating the German company’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine due to the suspected presence of an emissions test-cheating ‘defeat device’, but that all seems a little minor compared to the latest development, with VW admitting there are ‘irregularities’ concerning the CO2 and MPG figures of around 800,000 cars.

In a statement, the company said:

"Under the ongoing review of all processes and workflows in connection with diesel engines it was established that the CO2 levels and thus the fuel consumption figures for some models were set too low during the CO2 certification process. The majority of the vehicles concerned have diesel engines."

It’s that "majority" bit which is key: this time around, it’s going to affect petrol cars too. Other than that, details are vague: VW hasn’t said exactly what these ‘irregularities’ constitute, or what countries these 800,000 cars are in.

The company is estimating that this latest development in the emissions scandal will cost it €2 billion, but given the sheer scale of it and the potential for thousands of particularly miffed customers, it wouldn’t be surprising if that figure balloons rather significantly.

Speaking about the admission, VW’s new CEO Matthias Müller said:

“From the very start I have pushed hard for the relentless and comprehensive clarification of events. We will stop at nothing and nobody. This is a painful process, but it is our only alternative. For us, the only thing that counts is the truth. That is the basis for the fundamental realignment that Volkswagen needs…The Board of Management of Volkswagen AG deeply regrets this situation and wishes to underscore its determination to systematically continue along the present path of clarification and transparency.”