Diesel-gate: Volkswagen at a crossroads

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Volkswagen

Diesel-gate: Volkswagen at a crossroads

This week could decide whether Volkswagen can withstand the exhaust gas scandal reasonably safe. The group hopes to have an out-of-court settlement with the US environmental protection Agency EPA.

Until Thursday, the VW will need to explain to negotiators, and the U.S. environmental protection Agency, EPA, a district judge, whether an agreement on the repair and buy-back of manipulated diesel cars is possible. “It is important to find a way to a solution,” said a high-ranking VW Manager. The actual compromise will take a little longer.

In the case of a rapprochement with the EPA would finally be in sight to the financial risks and VW could launch a compensation to the car owners, and investors. “Every out-of-court settlement is cheaper than a long-term process,” says Helmut Becker, the Director of the Institute for economic analysis and communication (IWK) in Munich.

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According to insiders, the group aims in the United States, an agreement that all questions have to be clarified by the amount of the fines for use of illegal Software, a repair plan or a return of the affected purchase approximately 600,000 diesel cars up to a compensation for the long years of excessive nitrogen emissions from these vehicles. Also conceivable is the establishment of the environment Fund, in this context, a Person with knowledge of the negotiations said.

A settlement would be cheaper than a procedure

The American Ministry of justice has sued VW for violations of U.S. environmental law up to 46 billion dollars, which the EPA negotiated with VW. In the case of an out-of-court agreement, the penalty would probably be lower. In addition, claims on towers to damages in the billions. On Tuesday, the U.S. state of Kentucky was sued the car maker. In the States of New Jersey, Texas, West Virginia and New Mexico, the public Prosecutor’s office has also collected charge.

Volkswagen had already received in may 2014, a study published in the US the first indications of irregularities in the case of diesel cars. But it was not until almost one and a half years later – on 3. September 2015 – the company behind the Scenes at the EPO, a prohibited switch-off device used. This detects whether a vehicle is on the test bench and found to comply only with the limits. Publicized the scandal was at 18. September, by a communication from the EPO in which they quantified the possible penalties for VW on up to 18 billion dollars – a sum that surprised the wolf Burger, according to total. Until then, it was assumed that the penalties of a maximum in the low three-digit range.

“VW has assessed the Situation completely wrong”

The wolf Burger would have let much time elapse, and the American authorities misjudged believes IWK-chief Becker. Would have expected on one knee, while Wolfsburg have sent its engineers to fix the Problem at the lowest possible cost. “An agreement would have been months ago possible, if VW would have understood the actions of the US authorities.”

More powerful against players: The U.S. environmental protection Agency, EPA,

His colleague Stefan Bratzel of the Center of Automotive Management in Bergisch Gladbach, criticized, VW have believed too long, to the problems of Wolfsburg. “VW has assessed the Situation in America is completely wrong,” says the expert. “You try the antecedents of this fraud and Cover-up about one and a half years excluded.” This is likely to play in sentencing an important role.

Cost: not to refrain

Also because of a sale stops for Diesel Volkswagen in the U.S., under high pressure. The February deliveries brought a Minus of 13 percent, for the first two months of 2016, the decline was 14 percent. American VW dealers called for a two-day top last weeks meeting in Wolfsburg, Germany financial support by the group.

Not only in the United States, but also in other countries, the company with civil lawsuits from car buyers, investors and authorities in billions of faces. How much the scandal cost VW in the end is not yet in sight. Analysts expect 20 to 30 billion euros, some estimate as much as 40 billion.

hmf/hb (AP, rtr)