Automotive News: European Bank Cuts Funds to VW Because of Emissions Fraud, Automakers, regulators urge work on U.S. fuel rules review, Germany to agree plan to cut diesel emissions: sources
European Bank Cuts Funds to VW Because of Emissions Fraud
Volkswagen suffered another blow to its reputation on Tuesday after it was barred from receiving European Union research financing over allegations the company misused a previous loan to cheat on emissions.
The decision by the publicly owned European Investment Bank at least temporarily deprives Volkswagen of low-cost financing it badly needs for research and development during a period of technological upheaval in the automobile business.
Traditional carmakers are struggling to keep up with upstarts like Tesla to develop electric vehicles capable of driving themselves. Volkswagen’s resources have already been depleted because of the company’s admission in 2015 that it programmed 11 million cars to fool regulators. Penalties and legal settlements in the United States totaled more than $22 billion, and cases in Europe are pending. read more »
Automakers, regulators urge work on U.S. fuel rules review
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official and major auto industry lobbyists urged the government and automakers on Tuesday to consider innovative ideas to head off conflict over 2025 model-year fuel efficiency standards for U.S. automakers.
Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, told an automotive conference that regulators should consider allowing automakers to get regulatory credits for vehicles that can operate in a more fuel-efficient mode or for selling electric vehicles to high-mileage ride-sharing fleets.
“Having this conversation about both the nearer term and longer term at the same time makes a lot of business and technical sense,” Grundler said. read more »
Germany to agree plan to cut diesel emissions: sources
The German government will not force the car industry to make costly changes to engines to cut diesel emissions but will settle for software updates for around 2 million vehicles, industry and government sources said on Tuesday.
The sources were speaking before a summit of politicians and car executives scheduled for Wednesday to discuss ways to cut inner-city pollution to try to head off bans on diesel cars -- a sensitive issue ahead of national elections next month.
The summit must also start to restore the reputation of one of Germany's major industries which has been badly tarnished since the Volkswagen emissions scandal broke in September 2015. read more »
2017 Honda CR-V recalled to fix potential fuel leak: 24,000 vehicles affected
Honda is recalling the 2017 CR-V crossover to fix a problem with its fuel supply pipe. According to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the pipe may not have been manufactured to the proper specifications.
Leaks of any kind are almost always bad, and this is no exception. A fuel leak could cause the CR-V to stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a collision. The fuel leak, in combination with an ignition source, also creates the potential for a fire. read more »
