Environmental authorities have issued a fine to Volkswagen Mexico amounting to $8.9 million after they failed to comply on the necessary emission permits. Volkswagen Mexico sold 45, 494 units of 2016 models without the required certificates for emissions and noise level certification permits.
However, Volkswagen Mexico seems to be in a more serious trouble after the environmental protection office suspected that they are also involved on a software fraud, The Wall Street Journal reports. According to the site, the attorney general's office for environmental protection is now investigating if the company cheated on diesel-emissions tests. The environmental protection officers are now examining on the range of Volkswagen cars sold from 2009 to 2015.
Volkswagen Mexico is obliged to pay the fine for the 2016 models, including Bentley, Audi, SEAT, Porsche, and, Volkswagen (VW). As Auto NDTV reported, these vehicles were found with no NOM environmental compliance certificates during the Dec. 2015 inspection. The compliance certificates include a test that measures the maximum permitted level of noise and measurement of methodology and one that measures that maximum allowable level of total hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and particles from new cars' exhaust pipes.
It was not the first time for Volkswagen Mexico to be under the scrutiny of the environmental protection office. In September last year, after an investigation, the German automaker admitted that defeat devices were installed on about 500,000 cars they sold in the US since 2008. These cars include 2.0-liter diesel-powered Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen vehicles. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) alleged that the company is selling vehicles with fake devices to deceive regulators.
Phys.Org has added that Volkswagen Mexico claimed that there are about 11 million cars worldwide that have software devices that allowed them to cheat during emission tests. During emission tests, the emission controls on the cars turn on. However, when the cars are being driven on normal conditions, the emission controls are off. This leads to 40 times increase release of nitrogen oxide that exceeds the allowable amount in the U.S. The excess chemicals contribute to acid rain and smog formation.
Volkswagen Mexico claims that they are now addressing the issue. The company is facing regulatory and criminal investigations and civil litigation in Europe and in the U.S.
