'Dieselgate': Volkswagen to appeal court ruling on Golf Plus emissions
What's the story
Volkswagen, the German automobile giant, has announced its decision to appeal a court ruling related to the infamous "Dieselgate" scandal. The Higher Administrative Court in Schleswig-Holstein ruled against Volkswagen and the Federal Office of Motor Vehicles (KBA), saying that they had illegally authorized Volkswagen's Golf Plus TDI model in 2016. The ruling found that this model was fitted with two illegal "defeat devices" that interfered with emissions controls.
Legal strategy
Company to take legal action
In response to the court's decision, Volkswagen has announced its intention to "take legal action at the Federal Administrative Court." The company stressed that this ruling is not final and does not mean that KBA will have to take measures like removing vehicles' registration or applying technical modifications to rectify the defeat devices.
Case origins
Dieselgate and its impact on Volkswagen
The original case was brought by the pressure group Environmental Action Germany (DUH) in 2018, following the Dieselgate scandal. This global controversy erupted in September 2015 when Volkswagen confessed to cheating on emissions tests for millions of diesel vehicles. So far, the company has paid over $37 billion in fines over this scandal, mostly in the US.
Impact assessment
DUH's stance and Volkswagen's response
The DUH has hailed the court's ruling as a "breakthrough for clean air and the millions of citizens harmed by Dieselgate." They estimate that this decision will impact 7.8 million vehicles fitted with devices allowing illegal levels of nitrogen oxide emissions. However, Volkswagen contends that the ruling only affects a number of vehicles "in the low thousands."