SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – The Department of Justice announced that German automaker Volkswagen AG and its related entities, in two related settlements with the United States and the state of California, will spend up to $14.7 billion to settle allegations of cheating emissions tests and deceiving customers.
“By duping the regulators, Volkswagen turned nearly half a million American drivers into unwitting accomplices in an unprecedented assault on our environment,” Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates said. “This partial settlement marks a significant first step towards holding Volkswagen accountable for what was a breach of its legal duties and a breach of the public’s trust. And while this announcement is an important step forward, let me be clear, it is by no means the last. We will continue to follow the facts wherever they go.”
Volkswagen allegedly used deceptive advertising on “clean diesel” vehicles. These claims falsely told consumers that the vehicles were low-emission, environmentally friendly, met emissions standards and would maintain a high resale value. 2009 through 2015 Volkswagen TDI diesel models of Jettas, Passats, Golfs and Beetles, as well as the TDI Audi A3, are among the affected vehicles.
“Today’s settlement restores clean air protections that Volkswagen so blatantly violated,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said. “And it secures billions of dollars in investments to make our air and our auto industry even cleaner for generations of Americans to come. This agreement shows that EPA is committed to upholding standards to protect public health, enforce the law, and to find innovative ways to protect clean air.”