Germany’s motor market watchdog raised suspicions Volkswagen was using prototype vehicles to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in tests in 2015 right after Volkswagen’s manipulation of diesel emissions tests was revealed, the Berliner Zeitung newspaper reported.
It quoted the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) as informing Volkswagen in a November 2015 email it would choose test models randomly and appoint new external specialists to carry out testing due to doubts about the independence of the company’s CO2 testing regime.
“Volkswagen has to give a statement that they (vehicles submitted to tests) abide by standards for serial production designs and were exempt to change in any way,” the newspaper quoted the KBA’s email as informing.
There was no immediate remark from a Volkswagen spokesperson. The German Transport Ministry, which is home to the KBA, refused to comment as its investigation into CO2 emission tests is not concluded yet, a spokesperson stated.
It was not clear in Saturday’s report whether the KBA remains concerned about the openness of automaker’s CO2 emissions tests.
Volkswagen confessed in November 2015 that besides manipulating diesel emissions tests it had downplayed the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of and estimated of 800,000 automobiles. It then revealed a month later on that follow-up tests had shown the CO2 irregularities impacted less than 40,000 cars.
