Regardless of the outcome of its talks with the U.S. EPA, resumption of the sale of its diesel models in the U.S. is likely to be a non-starter.
In the wake of VW’s diesel emission scandal, the embattled company has taken the strategic decision to not resume the sale of diesel vehicles in the United States even if it was allowed to do so.
Ever since Volkswagen acknowledged the usage of “defeat devices” in its vehicles so as to evade U.S. diesel emission standards, the company has been barred from selling its diesel vehicles in the country.
Currently, VW is in talks with U.S. regulators related to the diesel emission scandal but approval for resuming sale of diesel vehicles is not expected before 2017, at the earliest.
Jeannine Ginivan, Volkswagen’s spokeswoman has stated in a statement that VW will continue to evaluate the diesel engine market in the U.S., but the company has kept its cards close to its chest and has not disclosed future product-related decisions.
Ginivan said diesel “will be pursued where it makes sense for the market but new powertrain concepts like pure (electric vehicles) and a variety of hybrid models are moving towards the forefront especially as stricter regulations come into play.”
She went on to add that VW does “not expect diesel to return to the U.S. with the same significance.”
This strategic shift was apparent last year itself when it withdrew its application for selling sell new models of its Porsche and Audi diesel engine cars and SUVs.
According to Hinrich Woebcken, the head of Volkswagen’s North American operations, the company is likely to end the sales of all of its diesel vehicles in the U.S. Significantly, VW did not contradict this view.
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