Buyback program has already occurred in the European Union for VW vehicles whose greenhouse gas emissions levels were wrongly understated
Washington (November 19, 2105) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), members of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today called on Volkswagen to appropriately compensate drivers of all Volkswagen vehicles purchased in the United States that contained defeat devices used to circumvent NOX emissions control requirements. Currently, Volkswagen has only offered drivers paltry compensation, including a $500 Volkswagen Prepaid Visa® Loyalty Card, a $500 Volkswagen Dealership Card, and 24-hour Roadside Assistance at no charge for three years.
VW’s failure to use the proper emissions reduction technologies allowed the vehicles to operate more fuel efficiently. This means not only that vehicle owners purchased vehicles they believed to be ‘clean diesel’ that turned out to be anything but ‘clean’, but that once their vehicles are repaired, their fuel economy will be decreased and gasoline costs therefore increased. By contrast, in the EU, where VW acknowledged that it sold vehicles with “CO2 irregularities,” VW has offered to buy back some of the vehicles at the current market value.
“We specifically request that you immediately announce VW’s willingness to buy back these impacted vehicles, as has already occurred in the EU for VW vehicles whose greenhouse gas emissions levels were wrongly understated,” write the Senators in the letter to VW America President and CEO Michael Horn. “We additionally urge you to offer drivers the fair market value for these vehicles that was in place before VW’s illegal activity was made publicly known.”
A copy of the letter can be found HERE.
###
