Fleet customer suing VW

[ZR]

HAMBURG -- Volkswagen Group is being sued by German fish distributor Deutsche See for misrepresenting a fleet of vehicles it leased as environmentally friendly, making the company the first major German customer to sue VW over its emissions-cheating scandal.
Volkswagen already faces numerous lawsuits from individual owners, regulators, states and dealers, many of them in the form of class-action cases in the U.S. This is the first case brought by a corporate customer in its home market.
Bremerhaven-based Deutsche See, which leases about 500 vehicles from Volkswagen, said it had been unable to reach an out-of-court settlement. Talks had broken down after Volkswagen replaced the relevant managers with lawyers and PR managers.
German tabloid Bild am Sonntag said Deutsche See was suing for 11.9 million euros ($12.8 million). Deutsche See was not immediately reachable to comment on the sum.
"Deutsche See only went into partnership with VW because VW promised the most environmentally friendly, sustainable mobility concept," said a statement from Deutsche See, which won a sustainability prize in 2010.
Volkswagen said on Sunday it had not yet seen the charge and so could not comment on it.
Deutsche See said it had filed its complaint for malicious deception at the regional court in Brunswick, near Volkswagen's Wolfsburg headquarters. The court was not reachable on Sunday to confirm it had received the case.
Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 it had used software to cheat diesel-emissions tests in the U.S.
The legal fallout has cost the company more than 20 billion euros ($21.6 billion) so far and its former CEO Martin Winterkorn is being investigated by German prosecutors for suspected fraud and market manipulation.

[RedSN]

How does cheating the emission standards testing equipment in the United States make advertising the vehicle in Germany as 'environmentally friendly' misrepresenting?
"VW promised the most environmentally friendly, sustainable mobility concept". So I guess Deutsche See needs to prove there is a more environmentally friendly (diesel) vehicle to make their case. Has nothing to do with cheating the EPA.

[Hutch]

How does cheating the emission standards testing equipment in the United States make advertising the vehicle in Germany as 'environmentally friendly' misrepresenting?
"VW promised the most environmentally friendly, sustainable mobility concept". So I guess Deutsche See needs to prove there is a more environmentally friendly (diesel) vehicle to make their case. Has nothing to do with cheating the EPA.
They are a green company and pride themselves on being one. They chose VW soully because they advertised as being green. Then you find out they lied to everyone and are actually not so green, you wouldn't be pissed off? It looks bad on your green company now. It's about image and it totally makes sense to me. I hope they win

Also, proving there is a more Eco friendly vehicle isn't hard anymore. VW did a lot of dirty stuff. I wouldn't want my company associated with them either

[ZR]

+1 on the above.

[RedSN]

The way I see it is the EPA set standards impossible to meet in order to keep the incredibly fuel efficient European compact diesel cars out of the United States. Yes, I know that sounds like a conspiracy theory.
But why else would a huge international company knowingly cheat? If VW can't make the cars meet the EPA standards, who can?

VW has an entire line-up of incredibly fuel efficient vehicles. Is a fuel efficient vehicle not 'environmentally friendly' by its very nature? I don't see it as false advertising just because it doesn't meet the standards of another nation. It didn't break any German laws.

Just my 2 cents.

[Ponyryd]

The standards are very high, yes, but there are ways to make clean diesels, VW had to know they would get caught eventually. Yes a def system is a pain in the ass, but it's clean, and VW didn't implement one at all, so now there's no way to fix the problem, the cars are the problem. As far as the lawsuit, I agree fully with Hutch, they're affiliated with VW now and they look like assholes because if it, they deserve restitution, as does any owner that has to now buy another vehicle, and new/used dealers for the loss of sales. Basically everyone who was affected needs to be compensated, and keep in mind I have a very low tolerance for lawsuits, this one is justified IMO.

[bluetoy]

The standards are very high, yes, but there are ways to make clean diesels, VW had to know they would get caught eventually. Yes a def system is a pain in the ass, but it's clean, and VW didn't implement one at all, so now there's no way to fix the problem, the cars are the problem. As far as the lawsuit, I agree fully with Hutch, they're affiliated with VW now and they look like assholes because if it, they deserve restitution, as does any owner that has to now buy another vehicle, and new/used dealers for the loss of sales. Basically everyone who was affected needs to be compensated, and keep in mind I have a very low tolerance for lawsuits, this one is justified IMO.


My 2012 TDI has def. Why does anyone have to buy another vehicle? They all pass any Etest in Canada. They all get better mileage than advertised.

[Hutch]

My 2012 TDI has def. Why does anyone have to buy another vehicle? They all pass any Etest in Canada. They all get better mileage than advertised.

You have a Passat. All the pre-2015 Jettas do not have def.

To add to what ponyrd said, def injection has been on transport trucks since 2010. If they can bring emissions right down low and still make huge torque to pull those heavy load, cars can easily do it.

[bluetoy]

You have a Passat. All the pre-2015 Jettas do not have def.

To add to what ponyrd said, def injection has been on transport trucks since 2010. If they can bring emissions right down low and still make huge torque to pull those heavy load, cars can easily do it.

Much different emission standards for heavy trucks. I have a 2010 dump truck that does not have def. lol

[Ponyryd]

My 2012 TDI has def. Why does anyone have to buy another vehicle? They all pass any Etest in Canada. They all get better mileage than advertised.

Not sure but I heard the cars must be bought back, it may be untrue, and hopefully is since it sure most of the owners are happy with their cars. Maybe they're fine in Canada but need to be bought back in us?

[Hutch]

Much different emission standards for heavy trucks. I have a 2010 dump truck that does not have def. lol

Not that different. Levels are not the same because engines are not the same. Regulations are just as strick. I bet your 2010 dump truck was made in 09 or the engine is cummins or navistar. Those two got credits at very beginning. EPA10 systems are very clean when functioning correctly