EPA Clears Volkswagen to Sell Fixed 2015 Dieselgate Cars
But no new VW diesels will hit U.S. soil for at least another 18 months.
byChristian Gilbertsen| UPDATED May 18, 2021 2:06 PM
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For the first time since news of Dieselgate broke, Volkswagen can now officially sell diesels in the U.S., Automotive News reports. And it's not new for new diesel models, either—the EPA has cleared the German automaker to sell Dieselgate-affected 2015 model year cars that have undergone a fix, VW Group of America spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said in a statement.
This fix, which includes a software revision and different "diesel engine hardware" for the 2.0-liter diesel engines, was approved by both the EPA and California Air Resources Board. For now, there aren't any details on if and how this fix might affect a car's fuel economy or performance.
"We are still finalizing the details of this program and will provide more information on its implementation at the appropriate time," Ginivan said.
Although nearly half a million of affected VW diesels were sold in the US, this EPA sales approval only pertains to the 67,000 2015 model year cars. And of those 67,000 cars, only 12,000 of them are currently in the hands of dealers, Ginivan said. As Volkswagen looks forward, the company won't sell any new diesels in the US through at least 2018.
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