Volkswagen Emissions Fakery Used on Even More Engines

The number of Volkswagen engines in violation of European emissions standards may be higher than initially reported, but company officials said the difference was relatively small.

Volkswagen officials on Thursday disclosed that an additional number of engines, sold on vehicles for a few months in 2012, might be added to the list of cars violating Europe's pollution rules, The New York Times said. But those vehicles won't expand the number affected in the United States because they already are included on lists of the company's vehicles breaking Environmental Protection Agency regulations for emissions.

Europe's emissions regulations are less strict than those in the United States.

The announcement came after what the Times called a day of "confusing statements" from the automaker. In the morning, Volkswagen announced it was looking at the possibility that an additional 11 million engines might have had the illegal software that masked emissions. But then the company made another announcement that cars with EA 288 engines do not violate European laws, but may violate U.S. laws.

"But American officials said they were already aware of the second group of engines and that the total number of cars affected was unchanged," the Times said.

The company did not respond to requests for clarification of what engines may be affected in Europe, the Times said. Volkswagen has announced previously the investigation into the situation is ongoing on a global scale.

The company's problems began in September when officials there admitted that illegal software in some of its cars had been set to deceive U.S. regulators with false emissions readings, Reuters said. Since then, the beleaguered company has fired and suspended executives, and is struggling to retain its share of the marketplace.  

Company officials told reporters two weeks ago that the cost associated with the deception may top the $7.4 billion, or $6.5 billion euros, the company has set aside to pay for the scandal, Reuters said.

"The 6.5 billion (euros) applies to the recall," CEO Matthias Mueller told Reuters and other reporters. "I can only speculate about any further provisions. Should there be a change in sales volumes, we would react rapidly."


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