Volkswagen is expected to buy back 500,000 vehicles which used a defeat-device to cheat emissions tests.
Quoting unnamed sources, Reuters reports the company is expected to make the announcement official when them meet with a US federal judge later today.
The buyback is expected to involve Volkswagen Clean Diesel vehicles with 2.0L engines sold since 2009. This includes the popular Jetta, Golf, and Audi A3 models. Vehicles with larger 3.0L diesels will not be included.
Volkswagen may also offer to repair affected vehicles if US regulators approve of a proposed fix. Owners will have two years to decide whether they want to sell back their vehicles or get them repaired.
The German automaker admitted last year they had been using a device to falsify diesel emissions tests. The vehicles in question will activate their full emissions control system only if they detect they're plugged into testing equipment. During normal driving, the effectiveness of the control system is greatly reduced. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says this exposed people to potentially harmful pollutants.
Volkswagen is still dealing with 500 civil law suits surrounding the issue. Their compensation fund is expected to top more than $1 billion USD on top of the cost of buying back the vehicles. It is unclear how much each owner might receive.
Source: Reuters
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