Audi in the spotlight over emissions

Audi's top-selling model released excessive toxic diesel emissions in results from lab tests run by the European Commission and seen by Reuters, raising suspicions of wrongdoing at Volkswagen's luxury division. The results threaten to embroil Audi in the scandal that has engulfed the company since it admitted cheating US emissions tests with software to mask nitrogen oxides (NOx). The lab tests run by the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC) in August showed the latest Euro 6 diesel gener
December 16, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
2125 Audi's top-selling model released excessive toxic diesel emissions in results from lab tests run by the European Commission and seen by Reuters, raising suspicions of wrongdoing at 994 Volkswagen's luxury division.

The results threaten to embroil Audi in the scandal that has engulfed the company since it admitted cheating US emissions tests with software to mask nitrogen oxides (NOx).

The lab tests run by the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC) in August showed the latest Euro 6 diesel generation A3 emitted 163 milligrams of nitrogen oxides  per kilometre, double the statutory 80mg cap.

A separate lab-based test showed the A3 emitting 140mg of NOx at an engine temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, but emissions were below 80mg when the car was run with a cold engine.

"The differences between cold start and hot start are hard to explain," said Bas Eikhout, a lawmaker on the European Parliament's inquiry committee into the VW scandal.

Audi dismissed the results, saying the level of 163 milligrams was inflated by erroneous measurements on behalf of the JRC. Key parameters such as the state of the catalytic converter systems of the tested vehicles remain unclear, a spokesman said by email.

Other tests in Britain and Germany have shown the A3 compact, which topped the brand's sales rankings this year ahead of the A4 and A6 models, is complying with legal limits, he said.

EU regulators depend on the JRC's work to help to shape policy, but member states are responsible for policing their car industries.

A Commission spokeswoman said that the JRC's results were still preliminary. "If the test results raise some suspicion of wrongdoing, such as the installation of prohibited defeat devices, they will be shared with all relevant approval authorities," she said.

Germany's KBA motor vehicle authority declined to comment.
Air Quality & Weather Systems

Related Content

  • April 17, 2012
    First Euro VI automotive diesel engine introduced in China
    China Yuchai International Limited has announced that its main operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company, has introduced China's first prototype diesel engine compliant with Euro VI emission standards. At a press conference hosted by GYMC at its offices in Yulin City, Guangxi Province, the National Passenger Car Quality Supervision and Inspection Centre (Tianjin Automotive Test Centre) released the test results of the YC6L-60 engine which was jointly developed over a four-year period, between G
    Read More
  • August 5, 2015
    High cost of French air pollution, report cites transportation
    A report entitled Air pollution: the cost of inaction, published in July by the French Senate Committee of Enquiry estimates the annual cost of air pollution in France at €101.3 billion ($110 trillion), according to EurActiv France. The committee has described air pp0llution as an ‘economic aberration’ and has proposed measured including raising the tax on diesel and taxing emissions of the worst polluting substances. While overall air pollution has fallen in recent years, "the nature of the pollution
    Read More
  • April 29, 2016
    Germany’ plans subsidies to encourage EV use ‘an interesting move’
    Germany has announced plans to motivate German citizens to buy electric and hybrid vehicles, say news reports, with a plan that the transport ministry hopes will boost sluggish electric-vehicle sales. The plan is expected to cost US$1.35 billion (€1.2 billion), with the government and automakers sharing the cost. Car buyers will receive a US$4,530 (€4,000) discount on electric vehicles and a US$3,398 ($3,000) discount on hybrids. The proposal also includes the installation of more charging stations
    Read More
  • May 18, 2012
    Inrix to power Audi’s first connected nav system
    Audi has selected Inrix’s XD Traffic to help further the company's Audi Connect strategy with real-time traffic information for its navigation systems starting with the mid-2011 model year. At a launch event today for the 2011 Audi A6, the automaker demonstrated how Audi vehicles connected to the Internet via Audi Online Services will use XD Traffic to provide motorists with real-time traffic information, traffic-influenced turn-by-turn directions and alerts to accidents and other incidents along their rout
    Read More

Highlighted Content