VW

[WorldTraveler]

There were a group of heavy equipment manufacturers that pleaded guilty to using the same type of cheat devices in large diesel engines but supposedly the magnitude of the emissions failure (% miss) in the VW case is much, much higher.

The EPA says it will change the testing requirements for US automakers and include real world - not just bench - testing.

 

[southwind]

Nothing different than the Airline CEOs who got fired and rewarded.

Always back to the Evil airlines. Man, they musta really d!cked you over at some point in your life!

 

[Seatacus]

I can't believe VW lied to give their cars more power and better mileage.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I'm surprised for a couple of reasons.
The Germans are fanatics about everything being as close to perfect as possible.  So now 'this' is the second 'black eye' on a nation not tolerating scandel, the first being the German Wings who are closely associated with Lufthansa, arguably the Best Airline in the World !

 

[southwind]

I'm surprised for a couple of reasons.
The Germans are fanatics about everything being as close to perfect as possible.  So now 'this' is the second 'black eye' on a nation not tolerating scandel, the first being the German Wings who are closely associated with Lufthansa, arguably the Best Airline in the World !

Need a one way ticket to Germany?

 

[777 fixer]

Recently read that VW decided against the urea system that Mercedes uses because it would have added another $300-400 to the price of the car. Bet you they are wishing they would have gone that route. Steping over dollars to pick up nickles.

 

[Seatacus]

I would bet that the total environmental impact of these "dirty" diesels is less than the total impact of a Prius if you include manufacturing of batteries and energy (coal-fired) used to produce charging electricity. 

 

[Ms Tree]

There are a lot of variables involved.  The biggest one is life span.  The batteries are dirty once when they are made.  From then on they are relatively clean.  A combustion engine creates pollution for its life span.  More the older it gets due to wear on the engine.  
 
I do not know which is dirtier over it's life span but it would be interesting to know.

 

[WorldTraveler]

The issue is lying, deceit, and fraud.

With accurate information, consumers and governments can make the right decision within all of the legal options for propulsion.

Supposedly VW has a repair option... the question is how performance will be impacted. If performance is significantly degraded, they will pay for not delivering a product to consumers; if they leave the engines as is, they will break the law. and they will stay pay penalties for lying to governments around the world.

The impact on VW's finances will take years to repair.

and Germany is embarrassed at what has happened at VW.

 

[WorldTraveler]

here is an interesting article about the VW emissions issue which has roots in differences in strategy within the company and goals to dominate the global market which not only will likely cost VW sales but also result in enormous cost to the company for its previous actions.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/volkswagen-emissions-probe-focuses-on-2-engineers-2015-10-05

 

[Ms Tree]

I think the article is flawed from the start.  It mentions that engineers were unable to deliver an efficient engine.  Why is it that Mercedes, BMW, Renault and all the other manufactures were able to produce engines with good fuel economy and emissions that meet the standards?
 
Sounds to me as if VW was more concerned with profit than abiding by the law and figured they would be able to get away with it.  How they thought they would not be discovered is what I would like to know.  In this day and age, if you try and beat the system, someone will eventually figure it out.  So instead of investing a few billion in a urea system, they will be spending exponentially more to pay fines and fix/buy back cars.  

 

[777 fixer]

I think the article is flawed from the start.  It mentions that engineers were unable to deliver an efficient engine.  Why is it that Mercedes, BMW, Renault and all the other manufactures were able to produce engines with good fuel economy and emissions that meet the standards?

Because the system Mercedes uses would have added cost to the sticker price.

 

[delldude]

Because the system Mercedes uses would have added cost to the sticker price.

 
That's probably the reason VW went IT.

 

[777 fixer]

That's probably the reason VW went IT.

Didn't work out the way they thought it would that's for sure.

 

[Ms Tree]

Didn't work out the way they thought it would that's for sure.

 
Sounds to me like it went exactly as planned.  The only hitch they ran into was that they got caught.  I think they went IT to evade the emissions and that is exactly what happen.