Volkswagen has apologised for and pulled a social media ad for a new car after an outcry over its racist overtones.&nbsp;

The ten-second spot posted on Instagram and Twitter shows a massive white hand pushing a black man away from a new yellow Volkswagen Golf 8 parked on the street, before flicking him into a restaurant called Petit Colon, which translates from French as the Little Colonist or Little Settler.

Volkswagen apologised in a statement and said that, given its own history, "it does not tolerate any form of racism, xenophobia or discrimination."

"We posted a racist advertising video on Volkswagen's Instagram channel. We understand the public outrage at this. Because we're horrified, too," the VW brand's head of sales and marketing Jürgen Stackmann and group head of diversity Elke Heitmüller said in an apology posted on social media.

"On behalf of Volkswagen AG, we apologise to the public at large for this film. And we apologize in particular to those who feel personally hurt by the racist content because of their own history."

The company is now the world's biggest automaker, delivering nearly 11 million vehicles in 2019. The group makes cars under the VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat and Porsche brands.

Stackmann and Heitmüller added, "We're ashamed of it and cannot explain how it came about. All the more reason for us to make sure we clear this up. And we will make the results and consequences of the investigation public." 
&nbsp;

Volkswagen has apologised for and pulled a social media ad for a new car after an outcry over its racist overtones. The ten-second spot posted on Instagram and Twitter shows a massive white hand pushing a black man away from a new yellow Volkswagen Golf 8 parked on the street, before flicking him into a restaurant called Petit Colon, which translates from French as the Little Colonist or Little Settler.

Volkswagen has apologised for and pulled a social media ad for a new car after an outcry over its racist overtones. The ten-second spot posted on Instagram and Twitter shows a massive white hand pushing a black man away from a new yellow Volkswagen Golf 8 parked on the street, before flicking him into a restaurant called Petit Colon, which translates from French as the Little Colonist or Little Settler. Volkswagen apologised in a statement and said that, given its own history, "it does not tolerate any form of racism, xenophobia or discrimination." "We posted a racist advertising video on Volkswagen's Instagram channel. We understand the public outrage at this. Because we're horrified, too," the VW brand's head of sales and marketing Jürgen Stackmann and group head of diversity Elke Heitmüller said in an apology posted on social media. "On behalf of Volkswagen AG, we apologise to the public at large for this film. And we apologize in particular to those who feel personally hurt by the racist content because of their own history." The company is now the world's biggest automaker, delivering nearly 11 million vehicles in 2019. The group makes cars under the VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat and Porsche brands. Stackmann and Heitmüller added, "We're ashamed of it and cannot explain how it came about. All the more reason for us to make sure we clear this up. And we will make the results and consequences of the investigation public."

Volkswagen apologises for car ad with racist overtones

Volkswagen, the world's largest carmaker by sales, resumed work at its biggest factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, on Monday. Volkswagen Group, which owns the Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Seat brands, is also re-starting production in Portugal, Spain, Russia, South Africa, the Czech Republic and South America this week.

Volkswagen, the world's largest carmaker by sales, resumed work at its biggest factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, on Monday. Volkswagen Group, which owns the Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Seat brands, is also re-starting production in Portugal, Spain, Russia, South Africa, the Czech Republic and South America this week. In Wolfsburg, around 8,000 workers started building cars again on Monday, including the Volkswagen Golf. This week 1,400 cars will be built, followed by 6,000 cars in a fortnight, Volkswagen said. Production capacity in the Wolfsburg plant will be at around 10%-15% to begin with, and reach around 40% of pre-crisis levels in the week after, Andreas Tostmann, Volkswagen brand's board member responsible for production, told. "The restart of Europe's biggest car factory after weeks of standstill is an important symbol for our employees, our dealers, suppliers, the German economy and for Europe," Tostmann said. Volkswagen has overhauled its procedures to include extra hygiene measures. Workers are told to measure their temperature and to get changed into their overalls at home, to prevent crowding in factory changing rooms. Extra markings have been put on the factory floor so that workers are better able to adhere to a 1.5 metre social distancing rule, and extra time is provided so that employees can disinfect their tools and surfaces, Volkswagen said. (With inputs from Reuters)

Volkswagen re-starts Europe's largest car factory after coronavirus shutdown

Take a look at how global brands are endorsing social distancing to battle COVID-19

German auto giant Volkswagen said Tuesday it was preparing to shutter most of its European plants, joining a slew of other carmakers as the coronavirus pandemic disrupts supply chains and sends demand plummeting.

Production will be halted in Spain, Portugal and Slovakia and Italy before the end of this week," CEO Herbert Diess said in a speech.

"Most of the other German and European plants will begin preparing to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks," he added.

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The move comes as European governments take ever more drastic measures to keep people at home, and factory closures around the world interrupt deliveries of parts needed to keep car production going.

Volkswagen's powerful works council, which represents employees at the group, said separately that VW's closures would broadly take effect from Friday and slammed bosses for not taking more urgent action.

"We believe this is too late! We expect an orderly exit from production now," Germany's works council chiefs said in an open letter.

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VW staffers who have to work closely together on assembly lines don't understand why they should "risk infection" for "a few hundred more cars" when executives were already working from home, they wrote.

Car manufacturing factories are being idled across Europe.

Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler has halted production at six plants in Italy and one each in Serbia and Poland until March 27.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/toyota-keeps-china-plant-output-stopped-through-february-16-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-279291">Toyota keeps China plant output stopped through February 16 amid coronavirus outbreak</a>

France's PSA Group, whose brands include Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, has said it too will shutter its European production sites starting this week.

It's French rival Renault said it was suspending production at its four factories in Spain.

Very difficult

Diess said the VW group faced a "very difficult" year as the coronavirus epidemic wreaks havoc with the global economy.

In a press release announcing the company's 2019 results, he said the coronavirus outbreak posed "unknown operational and financial challenges".

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The group, whose stable of 12 brands includes Porsche, Audi, Seat and Skoda, declined to unveil an outlook for 2020.

Volkswagen said the volatile situation and the unprecedented shocks to supply and demand made it "almost impossible" to make a reliable forecast.

Volkswagen's finance chief Frank Witter said it was "uncertain how severely or for how long" the pandemic upheaval will affect the company.

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But he said the group would make "full use of all measures" available "to support our employees and their families and to stabilise our business."

In a rare spot of bright news, VW said it had resumed operations in China, with the exception of its factories in Changsha and Urumqi, as the country appears to have turned a corner in the virus fightback.

Looking at its 2019 results, the group said it saw revenues climb 7.1 per cent to 252.6 billion euros.

It achieved a net profit attributable to shareholders of 13.3 billion euros, up 12.8 per cent in 2018, driven by strong sales of more expensive models.

German auto giant Volkswagen said Tuesday it was preparing to shutter most of its European plants, joining a slew of other carmakers as the coronavirus pandemic disrupts supply chains and sends demand plummeting.

German auto giant Volkswagen said Tuesday it was preparing to shutter most of its European plants, joining a slew of other carmakers as the coronavirus pandemic disrupts supply chains and sends demand plummeting. Production will be halted in Spain, Portugal and Slovakia and Italy before the end of this week," CEO Herbert Diess said in a speech. "Most of the other German and European plants will begin preparing to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks," he added. Also read: Detained Uighurs forced to work in factories for foreign brands The move comes as European governments take ever more drastic measures to keep people at home, and factory closures around the world interrupt deliveries of parts needed to keep car production going. Volkswagen's powerful works council, which represents employees at the group, said separately that VW's closures would broadly take effect from Friday and slammed bosses for not taking more urgent action. "We believe this is too late! We expect an orderly exit from production now," Germany's works council chiefs said in an open letter. Also see: Mitsubishi suspected of diesel-fraud; German prosecutors raid business premises VW staffers who have to work closely together on assembly lines don't understand why they should "risk infection" for "a few hundred more cars" when executives were already working from home, they wrote. Car manufacturing factories are being idled across Europe. Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler has halted production at six plants in Italy and one each in Serbia and Poland until March 27. Also read: Toyota keeps China plant output stopped through February 16 amid coronavirus outbreak France's PSA Group, whose brands include Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, has said it too will shutter its European production sites starting this week. It's French rival Renault said it was suspending production at its four factories in Spain. Very difficult Diess said the VW group faced a "very difficult" year as the coronavirus epidemic wreaks havoc with the global economy. In a press release announcing the company's 2019 results, he said the coronavirus outbreak posed "unknown operational and financial challenges". Also see: Netherlands Utrecht city builds car-free district for 12,000 people The group, whose stable of 12 brands includes Porsche, Audi, Seat and Skoda, declined to unveil an outlook for 2020. Volkswagen said the volatile situation and the unprecedented shocks to supply and demand made it "almost impossible" to make a reliable forecast. Volkswagen's finance chief Frank Witter said it was "uncertain how severely or for how long" the pandemic upheaval will affect the company. Also read: Hybrid cars produce more CO2 than older vehicles in UK: Study But he said the group would make "full use of all measures" available "to support our employees and their families and to stabilise our business." In a rare spot of bright news, VW said it had resumed operations in China, with the exception of its factories in Changsha and Urumqi, as the country appears to have turned a corner in the virus fightback. Looking at its 2019 results, the group said it saw revenues climb 7.1 per cent to 252.6 billion euros. It achieved a net profit attributable to shareholders of 13.3 billion euros, up 12.8 per cent in 2018, driven by strong sales of more expensive models.

Volkswagen to close most European plants 'for two to three weeks'

15 February: From world's first teddy bear to world's first computer

The sale of new electric cars in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/dollar-snaps-six-day-losing-streak-a-flat-start-for-2020-271653">Norway</a> rose by 30.9 per cent&nbsp;last year amid soaring demand for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-finds-google-system-could-improve-breast-cancer-detection-271720">Tesla Inc's</a> vehicles, but the pioneering US&nbsp;firm faces rising competition from rival automakers in 2020.

Fully electric cars made up 42.4 per cent&nbsp;of sales in the Nordic nation last year, a global record, rising from a 31.2 per cent&nbsp;market share in 2018 and just 5.5 per cent&nbsp;in 2013, the Norwegian Road Federation said on Friday.

Seeking to become the first country to end the sale of fossil-fueled cars by 2025, Norway exempts battery-powered vehicles from the taxes imposed on petrol and diesel engines.

This year, as many as six in 10 of all new cars sold in the country could be fully electric, said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/volkswagens-german-plants-need-to-shape-up-production-chief-266997">Volkswagen</a> (VW) distributor Harald A. Moeller AS, which is preparing to launch several models in 2020.&nbsp;

"The electrification of the car market is accelerating,&nbsp;we forecast electric vehicles to hold a 100 per cent&nbsp;market share in 2025," the importer said of the outlook for Norway.

The country's best-selling car in 2019 was Tesla's mid-sized <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-says-will-start-delivering-china-made-model-3s-to-public-on-january-7-271722">Model 3 sedan</a>, which retails from 384,900 Norwegian crowns ($43,721.74), racking up an 11 per cent&nbsp;market share in the California-based firm's first attempt at addressing the mass market.

The sale of new electric cars in Norway rose by 30.9 per cent last year amid soaring demand for Tesla Inc's vehicles, but the pioneering US firm faces rising competition from rival automakers in 2020.

The sale of new electric cars in Norway rose by 30.9 per cent last year amid soaring demand for Tesla Inc's vehicles, but the pioneering US firm faces rising competition from rival automakers in 2020. Fully electric cars made up 42.4 per cent of sales in the Nordic nation last year, a global record, rising from a 31.2 per cent market share in 2018 and just 5.5 per cent in 2013, the Norwegian Road Federation said on Friday. Seeking to become the first country to end the sale of fossil-fueled cars by 2025, Norway exempts battery-powered vehicles from the taxes imposed on petrol and diesel engines. This year, as many as six in 10 of all new cars sold in the country could be fully electric, said Volkswagen (VW) distributor Harald A. Moeller AS, which is preparing to launch several models in 2020. "The electrification of the car market is accelerating, we forecast electric vehicles to hold a 100 per cent market share in 2025," the importer said of the outlook for Norway. The country's best-selling car in 2019 was Tesla's mid-sized Model 3 sedan, which retails from 384,900 Norwegian crowns ($43,721.74), racking up an 11 per cent market share in the California-based firm's first attempt at addressing the mass market.

Rivals gear up for 2020 after Tesla's Model 3 sedan hits record year in Norway

Two global auto giants are coming together to create the world’s fourth-largest car maker. Fiat Chrysler and the makers of Peugeot branded cars PSA have agreed on a binding merger making $50 billion auto firm.

"Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot SA (Groupe PSA) have today signed a binding combination agreement providing for a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the fourth-largest global automotive original equipment manufacturer by volume and third-largest by revenue," the statement said.

"No plant closures resulting from the transaction," the statement added.

Volkswagen, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and Toyota are the top-3 carmakers which combined produce nearly 9 million. PSA and FCA had announced their plans six weeks ago for a 50-50 share tie-up.

The deal is likely to close over the next 15 months with the headquarters in the Netherlands.&nbsp;While Fiat Chrysler would gain access to PSA's more modern vehicle platforms, helping it meet tough new emissions rules, PSA would benefit from profitable US business of Fiat Chrysler featuring brands such as Ram and Jeep.

Under the group, the sub-brands include Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall.&nbsp;

Ranging from mass and premium passenger cars and trucks and light commercial vehicles, the $50 billion deal will see the two mid-sized auto firms coming together and the tie-up will the ability to reshape the global industry.&nbsp;

The PSA-FCA&nbsp;merger is also aiming for annual cost savings of over $4 billion by combining technologies which will also help carmakers in saving steep costs to develop cleaner models as more stringent emission targets set in across the world.

Two global auto giants are coming together to create the world’s fourth-largest car maker. Fiat Chrysler and the makers of Peugeot branded cars PSA have agreed on a binding merger making $50 billion auto firm.

Two global auto giants are coming together to create the world’s fourth-largest car maker. Fiat Chrysler and the makers of Peugeot branded cars PSA have agreed on a binding merger making $50 billion auto firm. "Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot SA (Groupe PSA) have today signed a binding combination agreement providing for a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the fourth-largest global automotive original equipment manufacturer by volume and third-largest by revenue," the statement said. "No plant closures resulting from the transaction," the statement added. Volkswagen, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and Toyota are the top-3 carmakers which combined produce nearly 9 million. PSA and FCA had announced their plans six weeks ago for a 50-50 share tie-up. The deal is likely to close over the next 15 months with the headquarters in the Netherlands. While Fiat Chrysler would gain access to PSA's more modern vehicle platforms, helping it meet tough new emissions rules, PSA would benefit from profitable US business of Fiat Chrysler featuring brands such as Ram and Jeep. Under the group, the sub-brands include Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall. Ranging from mass and premium passenger cars and trucks and light commercial vehicles, the $50 billion deal will see the two mid-sized auto firms coming together and the tie-up will the ability to reshape the global industry. The PSA-FCA merger is also aiming for annual cost savings of over $4 billion by combining technologies which will also help carmakers in saving steep costs to develop cleaner models as more stringent emission targets set in across the world.

Fiat Chrysler, French carmaker PSA agree on mega merger

Volkswagen's German plants need to boost efficiency to match overseas operations, production chief Andreas Tostmann was quoted as saying, targeting 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in savings by 2023.

German carmakers, including Volkswagen's Audi brand, have announced thousands of job cuts in recent weeks to address an expected 5 per cent&nbsp;drop in global auto sales this year, with declines likely to spill into 2020.

"The pace of improvement is better abroad. In Germany, despite all the successes we've achieved, we have to do better," Tostmann told trade journal Automobilwoche.

Tostmann wants to implement the savings in the production of VW branded cars through a bundle of measures on top of automation, including a leaner logistics operation.

"The result is that we need 15 per cent&nbsp;less space, 60 per cent&nbsp;fewer logistics vehicles and are able to move 20 per cent&nbsp;more product," said Tostmann, according to extracts from his Automobilwoche interview.

VW's luxury Audi division last month said that it would cut up to 9,500 jobs, equating to 10.6 per cent&nbsp;of total staff, by 2025 in a move to free up billions of euros to fund the shift towards electric vehicle production.

Rival Daimler, as well as car suppliers Continental, Robert Bosch and Osram, have also recently announced staff and cost cuts.

Volkswagen's German plants need to boost efficiency to match overseas operations, production chief Andreas Tostmann was quoted as saying, targeting 2 billion euros ($2.

Volkswagen's German plants need to boost efficiency to match overseas operations, production chief Andreas Tostmann was quoted as saying, targeting 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in savings by 2023. German carmakers, including Volkswagen's Audi brand, have announced thousands of job cuts in recent weeks to address an expected 5 per cent drop in global auto sales this year, with declines likely to spill into 2020. "The pace of improvement is better abroad. In Germany, despite all the successes we've achieved, we have to do better," Tostmann told trade journal Automobilwoche. Tostmann wants to implement the savings in the production of VW branded cars through a bundle of measures on top of automation, including a leaner logistics operation. "The result is that we need 15 per cent less space, 60 per cent fewer logistics vehicles and are able to move 20 per cent more product," said Tostmann, according to extracts from his Automobilwoche interview. VW's luxury Audi division last month said that it would cut up to 9,500 jobs, equating to 10.6 per cent of total staff, by 2025 in a move to free up billions of euros to fund the shift towards electric vehicle production. Rival Daimler, as well as car suppliers Continental, Robert Bosch and Osram, have also recently announced staff and cost cuts.

Volkswagen's German plants need to shape up: Production chief

BMW and its partner Great Wall Motor said they plan to build a plant in China with a capacity of 160,000 cars per year, and which will produce BMW's electric MINI brand and Great Wall Motor models.

BMW and its partner Great Wall Motor said they plan to build a plant in China with a capacity of 160,000 cars per year, and which will produce BMW's electric MINI brand and Great Wall Motor models. The 650 million euro ($716 million) plant is due for completion in 2022. Automakers and suppliers are scrambling to meet tough new Chinese quotas for less polluting cars. Those rules call for electric and rechargeable hybrid vehicles to account for a fifth of total sales by 2025. The new joint venture Spotlight Automotive, will be based in Zhangjiagang near Shanghai and eventually employ 3,000 staff. Earlier this month, Great Wall gained domestic regulatory approval for the new plant. Great Wall is China's top sport utility vehicle and pick-up truck maker. It also builds Ora, an affordable battery electric vehicle brand in Baoding, the city where it is based. BMW is following the footsteps of larger peer Volkswagen, which is readying two Chinese factories to build electric cars next year, and which will have a combined production capacity of 600,000 vehicles. Tesla is aiming for more than 500,000 cars a year by building a new factory in Shanghai.

BMW, Great Wall to build new China plant for electric cars

&nbsp;In 2018, South Korea's SK Innovation beat its larger, local rival LG Chem to a multibillion-dollar deal to supply German carmaker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/future-is-electric-porsche-sets-out-plans-to-battle-tesla-in-us-263254">Volkswagen</a> with electric vehicle batteries in the United States.

With great fanfare, SK Innovation (SKI) broke ground in March on a $1.7 billion&nbsp;factory in Commerce, Georgia, about 200 km from VW's Chattanooga plant, which will be the automaker's electric vehicle hub in the United States.

LG Chem (LGC) had other ideas.

Stung by missing out on the VW deal to the new kid on the block and the departure of 77 employees for its rival across the Han River in Seoul, LGC took SKI to court in the United States in April accusing it of misappropriating trade secrets.

Fast forward seven months and the two firms have hit each other with US&nbsp;lawsuits for battery patent infringements in a bitter row that threatens to disrupt the launches of electric vehicles (EVs) by some of the world's biggest carmakers.

US court filings reviewed by Reuters show the feuding firms are trying to stop each other from importing and selling EV batteries destined for the SUVs VW will build in Tennessee as well as GM's Bolt, Ford pickups, Jaguar's I-Pace, Audi's e-Tron, and Kia Motor's Niro.

At stake is the Korean firms' ability to supply automakers in the United States with batteries just as the car producers are scrambling to lock in supplies with lucrative contracts ahead of an expected surge in demand, according to court filings by the two companies and several industry experts.

"Whoever loses the fight would suffer a fatal blow, unless the two reach a settlement. This will also be a setback for automakers," said Cho Jae-Phil, a professor at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology who worked previously at another Korean rival, Samsung SDI.

Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake said it was encouraging LGC and SKI to resolve their conflict without litigation and that it believed there was sufficient demand for multiple suppliers.

"We are aware of the issue. As a normal course of action, we have business continuity plans in place to protect our interests," Flake said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

GM spokesman Patrick Morrissey said the company was aware of the dispute and at this point, it did not expect any impact on the production of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicle.

Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volkswagen, which also owns Audi, declined to comment.

Volkswagen has said it is worried there won't be enough batteries for all the EVs it plans to launch in the next five years, partly because producers such as LGC and China's CATL don't have enough skilled workers for new plants in Europe to ramp up output quickly.

According to Korea's battery industry tracker SNE Research, the market for EV batteries - the most expensive and important component in the vehicles - is set to grow 23 per cent&nbsp;a year to reach $167 billion by 2025, making it bigger than the global memory chip market which is expected to be worth $150 billion by then.

In one court filing, LGC said its rival poached employees working on its own project to supply batteries for VW's MEB electric vehicle architecture - and that SKI only won the VW contract because it had misappropriated trade secrets.

SKI has denied stealing trade secrets, saying its staff signed agreements not to use information from former workplaces. "We value intellectual property," a spokesman for SKI said.

If the US&nbsp;International Trade Commission (ITC) rules in favor of LGC on June 5, when it is due to make a preliminary ruling, that could jeopardize SKI's plans to supply VW in the United States with batteries from Georgia or a new factory in Hungary, according to court filings.

In April, LGC asked the ITC to block SKI from bringing batteries and components into the United States, as well as manufacturing systems needed for US production which is scheduled to start in 2022.

The SKI spokesman said there had been no change to its schedule for the factory, which will have the capacity to make batteries for more than 200,000 EVs a year. He said SKI had received inquiries about the lawsuits from customers, including if they would have an impact on supplies, without elaborating.

LGC said a final ruling on the case would be made on October&nbsp;5 next year but it asked the ITC earlier this month to make a so-called default judgment against SKI quickly.

According to a memo obtained by Reuters on Wednesday, the Commission's investigative staff recommended a motion in favor of LGC as it is "the most appropriate sanction for Respondents' (SKI's) widespread spoliation of evidence."

Evidence spoliation is the destruction or alteration of evidence that may be used in a legal proceeding.

The staff also said a two-day hearing may be held "because of the severity of the allegations of misconduct and the extraordinary nature of the relief requested by (LGC)."

SKI denied the allegation of evidence spoliation in a statement on Wednesday, saying it is "sincerely responding to any investigation by the ITC" and its statement of position filed with the panel will clear the "groundless" accusation.

The patent infringement lawsuits lodged by the companies in the United States, meanwhile, mean that if one, or both, lose they probably won't be able to market products using the patents in question in the country, the companies said in court filings. The two have taken their feud to South Korean courts as well.

LGC said in a statement it would impossible to design around its patents while SKI said losing the patents case could create "substantial setbacks" to its battery business.

SKI and LGC said there had been no supply disruptions yet.

LGC was an early industry force to be reckoned with, winning a deal in 2008 to supply batteries for GM's Volt, the world's first mass-market, plug-in hybrid car, and it has since worked with almost every EV maker including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/musk-suggests-tesla-has-200000-orders-for-cybertruck-264354">Tesla</a>.

But LGC has been grappling with an exodus of workers: 1,258 staff jumped ship from 2016 to 2018, according to its sustainability reports. The company told Reuters the total number of staff who have joined SKI since 2016 has risen since it filed its complaint in April to about 100.

The bitterness of the fight is worrying Korean government officials on the grounds it could damage the firms' reputations and let rivals win market share from South Korean companies.

Lawmakers have called on the government to intervene and Industry Minister Sung Yoon-mo said in October it was watching the dispute closely to see how and when it could play a role to bring about a "positive outcome for the country overall".

Beejay Kim, a battery consultant, said Volkswagen may have to broker a truce as the dispute could disrupt not only battery suppliers but also reduce competition between its vendors.

"No one wants them to fight till the end," he said.

In 2018, South Korea's SK Innovation beat its larger, local rival LG Chem to a multibillion-dollar deal to supply German carmaker Volkswagen with electric vehicle batteries in the United States.

In 2018, South Korea's SK Innovation beat its larger, local rival LG Chem to a multibillion-dollar deal to supply German carmaker Volkswagen with electric vehicle batteries in the United States. With great fanfare, SK Innovation (SKI) broke ground in March on a $1.7 billion factory in Commerce, Georgia, about 200 km from VW's Chattanooga plant, which will be the automaker's electric vehicle hub in the United States. LG Chem (LGC) had other ideas. Stung by missing out on the VW deal to the new kid on the block and the departure of 77 employees for its rival across the Han River in Seoul, LGC took SKI to court in the United States in April accusing it of misappropriating trade secrets. Fast forward seven months and the two firms have hit each other with US lawsuits for battery patent infringements in a bitter row that threatens to disrupt the launches of electric vehicles (EVs) by some of the world's biggest carmakers. US court filings reviewed by Reuters show the feuding firms are trying to stop each other from importing and selling EV batteries destined for the SUVs VW will build in Tennessee as well as GM's Bolt, Ford pickups, Jaguar's I-Pace, Audi's e-Tron, and Kia Motor's Niro. At stake is the Korean firms' ability to supply automakers in the United States with batteries just as the car producers are scrambling to lock in supplies with lucrative contracts ahead of an expected surge in demand, according to court filings by the two companies and several industry experts. "Whoever loses the fight would suffer a fatal blow, unless the two reach a settlement. This will also be a setback for automakers," said Cho Jae-Phil, a professor at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology who worked previously at another Korean rival, Samsung SDI. Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake said it was encouraging LGC and SKI to resolve their conflict without litigation and that it believed there was sufficient demand for multiple suppliers. "We are aware of the issue. As a normal course of action, we have business continuity plans in place to protect our interests," Flake said in an emailed statement to Reuters. GM spokesman Patrick Morrissey said the company was aware of the dispute and at this point, it did not expect any impact on the production of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicle. Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volkswagen, which also owns Audi, declined to comment. Volkswagen has said it is worried there won't be enough batteries for all the EVs it plans to launch in the next five years, partly because producers such as LGC and China's CATL don't have enough skilled workers for new plants in Europe to ramp up output quickly. According to Korea's battery industry tracker SNE Research, the market for EV batteries - the most expensive and important component in the vehicles - is set to grow 23 per cent a year to reach $167 billion by 2025, making it bigger than the global memory chip market which is expected to be worth $150 billion by then. In one court filing, LGC said its rival poached employees working on its own project to supply batteries for VW's MEB electric vehicle architecture - and that SKI only won the VW contract because it had misappropriated trade secrets. SKI has denied stealing trade secrets, saying its staff signed agreements not to use information from former workplaces. "We value intellectual property," a spokesman for SKI said. If the US International Trade Commission (ITC) rules in favor of LGC on June 5, when it is due to make a preliminary ruling, that could jeopardize SKI's plans to supply VW in the United States with batteries from Georgia or a new factory in Hungary, according to court filings. In April, LGC asked the ITC to block SKI from bringing batteries and components into the United States, as well as manufacturing systems needed for US production which is scheduled to start in 2022. The SKI spokesman said there had been no change to its schedule for the factory, which will have the capacity to make batteries for more than 200,000 EVs a year. He said SKI had received inquiries about the lawsuits from customers, including if they would have an impact on supplies, without elaborating. LGC said a final ruling on the case would be made on October 5 next year but it asked the ITC earlier this month to make a so-called default judgment against SKI quickly. According to a memo obtained by Reuters on Wednesday, the Commission's investigative staff recommended a motion in favor of LGC as it is "the most appropriate sanction for Respondents' (SKI's) widespread spoliation of evidence." Evidence spoliation is the destruction or alteration of evidence that may be used in a legal proceeding. The staff also said a two-day hearing may be held "because of the severity of the allegations of misconduct and the extraordinary nature of the relief requested by (LGC)." SKI denied the allegation of evidence spoliation in a statement on Wednesday, saying it is "sincerely responding to any investigation by the ITC" and its statement of position filed with the panel will clear the "groundless" accusation. The patent infringement lawsuits lodged by the companies in the United States, meanwhile, mean that if one, or both, lose they probably won't be able to market products using the patents in question in the country, the companies said in court filings. The two have taken their feud to South Korean courts as well. LGC said in a statement it would impossible to design around its patents while SKI said losing the patents case could create "substantial setbacks" to its battery business. SKI and LGC said there had been no supply disruptions yet. LGC was an early industry force to be reckoned with, winning a deal in 2008 to supply batteries for GM's Volt, the world's first mass-market, plug-in hybrid car, and it has since worked with almost every EV maker including Tesla. But LGC has been grappling with an exodus of workers: 1,258 staff jumped ship from 2016 to 2018, according to its sustainability reports. The company told Reuters the total number of staff who have joined SKI since 2016 has risen since it filed its complaint in April to about 100. The bitterness of the fight is worrying Korean government officials on the grounds it could damage the firms' reputations and let rivals win market share from South Korean companies. Lawmakers have called on the government to intervene and Industry Minister Sung Yoon-mo said in October it was watching the dispute closely to see how and when it could play a role to bring about a "positive outcome for the country overall". Beejay Kim, a battery consultant, said Volkswagen may have to broker a truce as the dispute could disrupt not only battery suppliers but also reduce competition between its vendors. "No one wants them to fight till the end," he said.

Feuding Korean firms risk disrupting electric car battery supplies

German car giant Volkswagen said Friday it would plough 60 billion euros ($66 billion) by 2024 into its switch to electric, hybrid and connected vehicles, as automakers around the world rev up electrification plans.

The sum is an increase of 16 billion euros over previously-announced investments.

In a plan approved by its supervisory board, VW also said it would introduce up to 75 all-electric models and around 60 hybrid vehicles over the next decade, compared with a total of 70 across both types that were already planned.

VW is "focusing our investments on the future of mobility," chairman Dieter Poetsch said in a statement.

Chief executive Herbert Diess added: "In light of the worsening economic situation, we are also working on increasing our productivity, our efficiency and our cost base so as to secure meeting our targets."

The company said it was planning to sell 26 million all-electric vehicles by 2029 as well as around six million hybrid vehicles by that time, hoping they will help hit new European carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions targets.

On top of that should come around six million hybrids.

Volkswagen last month said it was confident of hitting financial targets despite a lower unit sales outlook, warning "vehicle markets will contract faster than previously anticipated in many regions".

A global growth slowdown triggered by trade wars and Brexit uncertainty has hit the car industry particularly hard, as have the mammoth costs associated with switching to electric car production.

Volkswagen has also been caught up in a series of legal cases ever since admitting four years ago that it illegally fitted 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide with software to make them appear less polluting.

German car giant Volkswagen said Friday it would plough 60 billion euros ($66 billion) by 2024 into its switch to electric, hybrid and connected vehicles, as automakers around the world rev up electrification plans.

German car giant Volkswagen said Friday it would plough 60 billion euros ($66 billion) by 2024 into its switch to electric, hybrid and connected vehicles, as automakers around the world rev up electrification plans. The sum is an increase of 16 billion euros over previously-announced investments. In a plan approved by its supervisory board, VW also said it would introduce up to 75 all-electric models and around 60 hybrid vehicles over the next decade, compared with a total of 70 across both types that were already planned. VW is "focusing our investments on the future of mobility," chairman Dieter Poetsch said in a statement. Chief executive Herbert Diess added: "In light of the worsening economic situation, we are also working on increasing our productivity, our efficiency and our cost base so as to secure meeting our targets." The company said it was planning to sell 26 million all-electric vehicles by 2029 as well as around six million hybrid vehicles by that time, hoping they will help hit new European carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions targets. On top of that should come around six million hybrids. Volkswagen last month said it was confident of hitting financial targets despite a lower unit sales outlook, warning "vehicle markets will contract faster than previously anticipated in many regions". A global growth slowdown triggered by trade wars and Brexit uncertainty has hit the car industry particularly hard, as have the mammoth costs associated with switching to electric car production. Volkswagen has also been caught up in a series of legal cases ever since admitting four years ago that it illegally fitted 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide with software to make them appear less polluting.

Volkswagen says to invest 60 billion euros by 2024 in future car models

Volkswagen officially launched production of the Volkswagen ID.3 all-electric model, which is expected to hit the market in mid-2020.

WION Wallet: Volkswagen start electric car ID.3 production

Volkswagen&nbsp;lowered its full-year sales outlook on Wednesday, warning of slowing demand even as nine-month adjusted operating profit jumped 11.2 per cent&nbsp;on increased demand for SUVs as well as Skoda and Porsche cars.

The German carmaker said a slowdown in global demand would result in 2019 vehicle deliveries being in line with last year's figures, adjusting its previous forecast for a slight rise.

"Despite the gain in market share, the Volkswagen Group anticipates that vehicle markets will contract faster than previously anticipated in many regions of the world," it said.

Increased demand for higher-margin VW Tiguan and Touareg models helped to offset an overall drop in sales of the VW brand in the nine months ending September, with Porsche and Skoda deliveries up 8 per cent&nbsp;and 15.3 per cent&nbsp;respectively.

Revenue for its passenger cars division is still expected to rise 5 per cent&nbsp;this year and the company reiterated that it expects an operating profit margin for the passenger cars division and the group to be in the range of 6.5 per cent&nbsp;to 7.5 per cent&nbsp;for the full year.

The updated guidance follows Ford's cut this week to its operating profit forecast, blaming a slowdown in demand in China and other headwinds.

Volkswagen said special items from legal risks, caused by the 2015 diesel emissions cheating scandal, had fallen to 1.3 billion euros ($1.45 billion) from 2.4 billion euros in the same period last year.

Third-quarter adjusted operating profit jumped 37 per cent&nbsp;to 4.82 billion euros, with analysts at Evercore ISI estimating Porsche's profit margin at 16.8 per cent, well ahead of Audi with 7.5 per cent&nbsp;and the VW brand at 4.1 per cent.

"The divisions beat expectations which will help the perception of the quality of earnings," Evercore's Arndt Ellinghorst said in a note.

Volkswagen lowered its full-year sales outlook on Wednesday, warning of slowing demand even as nine-month adjusted operating profit jumped 11.2 per cent on increased demand for SUVs as well as Skoda and Porsche cars.

Volkswagen lowered its full-year sales outlook on Wednesday, warning of slowing demand even as nine-month adjusted operating profit jumped 11.2 per cent on increased demand for SUVs as well as Skoda and Porsche cars. The German carmaker said a slowdown in global demand would result in 2019 vehicle deliveries being in line with last year's figures, adjusting its previous forecast for a slight rise. "Despite the gain in market share, the Volkswagen Group anticipates that vehicle markets will contract faster than previously anticipated in many regions of the world," it said. Increased demand for higher-margin VW Tiguan and Touareg models helped to offset an overall drop in sales of the VW brand in the nine months ending September, with Porsche and Skoda deliveries up 8 per cent and 15.3 per cent respectively. Revenue for its passenger cars division is still expected to rise 5 per cent this year and the company reiterated that it expects an operating profit margin for the passenger cars division and the group to be in the range of 6.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent for the full year. The updated guidance follows Ford's cut this week to its operating profit forecast, blaming a slowdown in demand in China and other headwinds. Volkswagen said special items from legal risks, caused by the 2015 diesel emissions cheating scandal, had fallen to 1.3 billion euros ($1.45 billion) from 2.4 billion euros in the same period last year. Third-quarter adjusted operating profit jumped 37 per cent to 4.82 billion euros, with analysts at Evercore ISI estimating Porsche's profit margin at 16.8 per cent, well ahead of Audi with 7.5 per cent and the VW brand at 4.1 per cent. "The divisions beat expectations which will help the perception of the quality of earnings," Evercore's Arndt Ellinghorst said in a note.

Volkswagen lowers 2019 sales outlook as demand cools

Car behemoth <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/volkswagen-porsche-to-recall-around-227000-cars-over-airbag-seatbelt-issues-report-250623">Volkswagen will face a German court Monday</a>, as hundreds of thousands of owners of manipulated diesel cars demand compensation four years after the country's largest post-war industrial scandal erupted.

The first hearing in what is likely to be a grinding, years-long trial opens at 0800 GMT&nbsp;in Brunswick, around 30 kilometres from VW headquarters in the northern city of Wolfsburg.

Around 450,000 people have joined a first-of-its-kind grouped proceeding, introduced by lawmakers after the "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal broke in 2015.

Consumer rights group VZBV, representing the plaintiffs, says the German carmaker deliberately harmed buyers by installing motor control software that allowed vehicles to pollute far more on the road than under lab conditions.

The trial is Germany's largest so far in the tentacular diesel scandal, which last week saw VW chief executive Herbert Diess charged with market manipulation over his role.

50 questions for judges

In the mass lawsuit, the most important of around 50 questions for judges is whether Volkswagen "caused harm" by acting "dishonestly".

Klaus Mueller of VZBV said he is "convinced" the car firm did, while VW says "clients did not suffer harm".

"Hundreds of thousands of cars are used" on the roads without a problem, VW lawyer Martine de Lind van Wijngaarden said.

Even if judges find in favour of plaintiffs, there will not be an immediate compensation payment.

Rather, every owner registered in the trial will have to claim individually.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seoul-to-fine-volkswagen-over-illicit-emissions-devices-244423">VW thinks a final judgement could arrive in 2023</a> at the earliest, if the case is appealed all the way to the Federal Court of Justice.

Individual proceedings could then take at least another year -- in the court of the first instance.

By then, the cars' market value could have eroded to a negligible amount, making a buyback cheaper for the firm.

To avoid such delays, the VZBV says it is "open" to an out-of-court settlement but "in that case, VW would have to pay a significant sum after all," Mueller told AFP.

Given the wide variety of cases under the group action umbrella, VW finds a mass settlement "hard to imagine".

In early July, judges noted in a preliminary opinion that some owners listed among the plaintiffs were living abroad.

That could mean German law does not apply to them.

Volkswagen said two per cent of those listed live abroad and 10 per cent are duplicate entries.

Alongside the grouped proceeding, 61,000 individual lawsuits have been filed in Germany, and some have already led to out-of-court settlements.

30 billion euros

Since 2015, when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ngt-panel-orders-volkswagen-to-pay-rs-100-crore-fine-in-emissions-case-190884">Volkswagen admitted to manipulating 11 million vehicles</a> worldwide to fool emissions tests, the scandal has cost the group over 30 billion euros&nbsp;in fines, compensation and legal costs.

Most of that sum - $22 billion - has gone to the US, while in Germany VW has so far paid just 2.3 billion dollars spread across three fines.

Alongside car owners, investors are claiming damages for losses they suffered when the group's share price plummeted after it came clean.

And earlier this week, Chief Executive Herbert Diess and supervisory board chief Hans Dieter Poetsch were charged with market manipulation.

Former chief executive Martin Winterkorn, who stepped down over the scandal, has been also charged with fraud.

Away from the legal battlegrounds, "dieselgate" has sped up the fuel's decline from its status as lower-carbon alternative to petrol, favoured with government subsidies.

In Germany, its market share among new registrations has fallen from 46 to 33 per cent, and the level of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted by the cars risks earning them bans from some city centres.

The diesel scandal is "part of the group's history" just like the famous Beetle and Golf models, says VW brand chief Ralf Brandstaetter.

But he adds the company has "profoundly changed", investing 30 billion euros in a new electric range to "regain society's respect."

"The diesel crisis was a catalyst for our transformation," Brandstaetter told AFP in a recent interview.

Car behemoth Volkswagen will face a German court Monday, as hundreds of thousands of owners of manipulated diesel cars demand compensation four years after the country's largest post-war industrial scandal erupted.

Car behemoth Volkswagen will face a German court Monday, as hundreds of thousands of owners of manipulated diesel cars demand compensation four years after the country's largest post-war industrial scandal erupted. The first hearing in what is likely to be a grinding, years-long trial opens at 0800 GMT in Brunswick, around 30 kilometres from VW headquarters in the northern city of Wolfsburg. Around 450,000 people have joined a first-of-its-kind grouped proceeding, introduced by lawmakers after the "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal broke in 2015. Consumer rights group VZBV, representing the plaintiffs, says the German carmaker deliberately harmed buyers by installing motor control software that allowed vehicles to pollute far more on the road than under lab conditions. The trial is Germany's largest so far in the tentacular diesel scandal, which last week saw VW chief executive Herbert Diess charged with market manipulation over his role. 50 questions for judges In the mass lawsuit, the most important of around 50 questions for judges is whether Volkswagen "caused harm" by acting "dishonestly". Klaus Mueller of VZBV said he is "convinced" the car firm did, while VW says "clients did not suffer harm". "Hundreds of thousands of cars are used" on the roads without a problem, VW lawyer Martine de Lind van Wijngaarden said. Even if judges find in favour of plaintiffs, there will not be an immediate compensation payment. Rather, every owner registered in the trial will have to claim individually. VW thinks a final judgement could arrive in 2023 at the earliest, if the case is appealed all the way to the Federal Court of Justice. Individual proceedings could then take at least another year -- in the court of the first instance. By then, the cars' market value could have eroded to a negligible amount, making a buyback cheaper for the firm. To avoid such delays, the VZBV says it is "open" to an out-of-court settlement but "in that case, VW would have to pay a significant sum after all," Mueller told AFP. Given the wide variety of cases under the group action umbrella, VW finds a mass settlement "hard to imagine". In early July, judges noted in a preliminary opinion that some owners listed among the plaintiffs were living abroad. That could mean German law does not apply to them. Volkswagen said two per cent of those listed live abroad and 10 per cent are duplicate entries. Alongside the grouped proceeding, 61,000 individual lawsuits have been filed in Germany, and some have already led to out-of-court settlements. 30 billion euros Since 2015, when Volkswagen admitted to manipulating 11 million vehicles worldwide to fool emissions tests, the scandal has cost the group over 30 billion euros in fines, compensation and legal costs. Most of that sum - $22 billion - has gone to the US, while in Germany VW has so far paid just 2.3 billion dollars spread across three fines. Alongside car owners, investors are claiming damages for losses they suffered when the group's share price plummeted after it came clean. And earlier this week, Chief Executive Herbert Diess and supervisory board chief Hans Dieter Poetsch were charged with market manipulation. Former chief executive Martin Winterkorn, who stepped down over the scandal, has been also charged with fraud. Away from the legal battlegrounds, "dieselgate" has sped up the fuel's decline from its status as lower-carbon alternative to petrol, favoured with government subsidies. In Germany, its market share among new registrations has fallen from 46 to 33 per cent, and the level of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted by the cars risks earning them bans from some city centres. The diesel scandal is "part of the group's history" just like the famous Beetle and Golf models, says VW brand chief Ralf Brandstaetter. But he adds the company has "profoundly changed", investing 30 billion euros in a new electric range to "regain society's respect." "The diesel crisis was a catalyst for our transformation," Brandstaetter told AFP in a recent interview.

Volkswagen faces first mammoth diesel lawsuit on home turf

Volkswagen 'dieselgate' fraud: Timeline of a scandal

Volkswagen and Porsche have to recall around 227,000 cars due to problems with airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners, Germany's Stuttgarter Zeitung said on Thursday.

The newspaper said the Tiguan, Sharan, and CC models built in 2015 as well as the Porsche 911, Boxter, Cayman, and Panamera models from 2015 and 2016. It cited Germany's Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) federal motor authority as saying the cars needed an update to the software of the airbag control units.

Volkswagen said 227,000 VW and Porsche cars were affected, citing possible problems with airbags in some of them and adding that new software needed to be installed.

A spokesman for Porsche said around 23,500 Porsche models could be affected by airbags or seatbelt pre-tensioners triggering even if the vehicle was not involved in an accident. It said the models affected were built in 2015 and 2016 and added that of the vehicles affected, around 3,900 were in Germany.

 
&nbsp;

Volkswagen and Porsche have to recall around 227,000 cars due to problems with airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners, Germany's Stuttgarter Zeitung said on Thursday.

Volkswagen and Porsche have to recall around 227,000 cars due to problems with airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners, Germany's Stuttgarter Zeitung said on Thursday. The newspaper said the Tiguan, Sharan, and CC models built in 2015 as well as the Porsche 911, Boxter, Cayman, and Panamera models from 2015 and 2016. It cited Germany's Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) federal motor authority as saying the cars needed an update to the software of the airbag control units. Volkswagen said 227,000 VW and Porsche cars were affected, citing possible problems with airbags in some of them and adding that new software needed to be installed. A spokesman for Porsche said around 23,500 Porsche models could be affected by airbags or seatbelt pre-tensioners triggering even if the vehicle was not involved in an accident. It said the models affected were built in 2015 and 2016 and added that of the vehicles affected, around 3,900 were in Germany.

Volkswagen, Porsche to recall around 227,000 cars over airbag, seatbelt issues: Report

Can power napping solve an electric car charging challenge?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-koreas-lee-duck-hee-becomes-first-deaf-player-to-win-an-atp-main-draw-match-244303">South Korea</a> said Tuesday it would issue fines and file criminal complaints against Volkswagen and its luxury arm, Porsche, for installing "illicit devices" that helped multiple diesel vehicles cheat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pork-for-pollution-south-koreans-fight-smog-with-grease-204515">pollution</a> standards.

The environment ministry said over 10,000 vehicles sold in South Korea by Volkswagen and Porsche from May 2015 to January 2018 were fitted with the devices, resulting in 10 times more nitrogen oxide emissions than standard levels.

The certifications for eight models -&nbsp;including Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne -&nbsp;will be revoked and the carmakers will face an estimated fine of US$9.5 million, the ministry said.

"We plan to continue responding firmly to manipulation of gas emissions in future," a ministry official told reporters.

Audi, which is also owned by Volkswagen, said in a statement that it "takes note of the announcement... and will take the necessary measures to minimise inconvenience to the customers" once the South Korean environment ministry has approved the recall plan for the models concerned.

The announcement in Korea comes just weeks after former Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler was charged in Germany with fraud and illegal advertising amid Volkwagen's deepening emissions scandal that broke out four years ago.

The charges against Stadler are linked to over 434,000 Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche's cars fitted with "defeat devices" to fool regulators' emissions tests.

Such software, applied to diesel-fuelled cars, allows the vehicles to detect when they are being tested in a lab and squeeze output of harmful gases like nitrogen oxides far below actual levels released on the road.

A study released in March 2017 said that pollution from 2.6 million rigged Volkswagen cars sold in Germany would likely cause 1,200 premature deaths in Europe because of the excess emissions.

In Germany, more than 410,000 customers are demanding compensation, as are investors.

South Korea said Tuesday it would issue fines and file criminal complaints against Volkswagen and its luxury arm, Porsche, for installing "illicit devices" that helped multiple diesel vehicles cheat pollution standards.

South Korea said Tuesday it would issue fines and file criminal complaints against Volkswagen and its luxury arm, Porsche, for installing "illicit devices" that helped multiple diesel vehicles cheat pollution standards. The environment ministry said over 10,000 vehicles sold in South Korea by Volkswagen and Porsche from May 2015 to January 2018 were fitted with the devices, resulting in 10 times more nitrogen oxide emissions than standard levels. The certifications for eight models - including Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne - will be revoked and the carmakers will face an estimated fine of US$9.5 million, the ministry said. "We plan to continue responding firmly to manipulation of gas emissions in future," a ministry official told reporters. Audi, which is also owned by Volkswagen, said in a statement that it "takes note of the announcement... and will take the necessary measures to minimise inconvenience to the customers" once the South Korean environment ministry has approved the recall plan for the models concerned. The announcement in Korea comes just weeks after former Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler was charged in Germany with fraud and illegal advertising amid Volkwagen's deepening emissions scandal that broke out four years ago. The charges against Stadler are linked to over 434,000 Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche's cars fitted with "defeat devices" to fool regulators' emissions tests. Such software, applied to diesel-fuelled cars, allows the vehicles to detect when they are being tested in a lab and squeeze output of harmful gases like nitrogen oxides far below actual levels released on the road. A study released in March 2017 said that pollution from 2.6 million rigged Volkswagen cars sold in Germany would likely cause 1,200 premature deaths in Europe because of the excess emissions. In Germany, more than 410,000 customers are demanding compensation, as are investors.

South Korea to fine Volkswagen, Porsche over 'illicit' emissions devices

Prosecutors have filed charges against former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/audi-ceo-arrested-volkswagen-145204">Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler</a>, who is being investigated for his role in Volkswagen`s emissions cheating scandal, the public prosecutor`s office in Munich said on Wednesday.

Stadler and three other defendants are being charged with false certification and criminal advertising practices, it said, adding that three defendants are accused of having developed engines used in Audi-, Volkswagen and Porsche-branded cars that used emissions-cheating devices.

"Defendant Stadler is accused of having been aware of the manipulations since the end of September 2015, at the latest, but he did not prevent the sale of affected Audi and VW vehicles thereafter," the prosecutor said in a statement. 
&nbsp;

Prosecutors have filed charges against former Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler, who is being investigated for his role in Volkswagen`s emissions cheating scandal, the public prosecutor`s office in Munich said on Wednesday.

Prosecutors have filed charges against former Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler, who is being investigated for his role in Volkswagen`s emissions cheating scandal, the public prosecutor`s office in Munich said on Wednesday. Stadler and three other defendants are being charged with false certification and criminal advertising practices, it said, adding that three defendants are accused of having developed engines used in Audi-, Volkswagen and Porsche-branded cars that used emissions-cheating devices. "Defendant Stadler is accused of having been aware of the manipulations since the end of September 2015, at the latest, but he did not prevent the sale of affected Audi and VW vehicles thereafter," the prosecutor said in a statement.

Prosecutors charge former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler over his role in emissions scandal

Four major automakers said on Thursday they have reached a voluntary agreement with the state of California on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/raw-materials-behind-half-of-global-emissions-united-nations-202865">fuel efficiency rules</a>, bypassing a Trump administration effort to strip the state of the right to fight climate change by setting its own standards.

California and other states had vowed to enforce stricter emissions standards put in place by the Obama administration after President Donald Trump proposed rolling back the federal rules. Automakers had worried that years of court battles between the state and federal governments could create uncertainty for manufacturers.

The California compromise proposal is more stringent than Trump's proposal but looser than the Obama-era rule. California, the most populous US&nbsp;state, accounts for about 12 per cent&nbsp;of US&nbsp;vehicle sales, and if the administration recognizes the deal it would allow automakers to operate under one set of national rules.

"Ensuring that America’s vehicles are efficient, safe and affordable is a priority for us all," Ford Motor Co, BMW AG, Volkswagen AG and Honda Motor Co said in a joint statement. They said the accord could help maintain a nationwide set of fuel efficiency requirements.

The automakers "didn't want to face the expense, distraction and the bad publicity that comes from being part of a big rollback on clean cars," Mary Nichols, who chairs the California Air Resources Board, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. She said the companies sought regulatory certainty and had agreed not to legally challenge California's vehicle regulatory authority.

Nichols said other automakers could also adopt the compromise if they choose. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said in a statement the deal demonstrates the Obama era rules needed revising but added it "looked forward to reviewing the details of this agreement."

The Trump administration in August 2018 proposed revoking California's right to impose state emissions standards or require more electric vehicles. The administration argued that federal law preempts states from setting their owns rules.

Under Trump, federal regulators backed freezing emissions requirements for new cars and trucks at 2020 levels through 2026. The proposal by the US.Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not expected to go to the White House for final review for at least several more weeks, people briefed on the matter said.

Nichols said that if the administration moves forward with that plan, California "will continue to enforce our regulations and pursue legal challenges to the federal rule."

The White House did not immediately comment on the California deal with the automakers. NHTSA said in a statement it will keep working to finalize the regulation, and that its proposal "contained no language that would prevent any auto manufacturer from designing and building next-generation highly fuel-efficient vehicles."

The Obama-era rules adopted in 2012 called for a fleetwide fuel efficiency average of 46.7 miles per gallon by 2025, with average annual increases of about 5 percent, compared with 37 mpg by 2026 under the Trump administration’s preferred option.

California's compromise with the automakers would increase stringency of the requirements at a nationwide average annual rate of 3.7% starting in the 2022 model year through 2026, and 1% of that annual improvement could be covered by credits awarded for building electrified vehicles.

The deal extends credits for building electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel vehicles and also hikes the cap for winning credits for fuel efficiency improvements not captured by traditional testing. California agreed to remove a requirement to account for upstream emissions of fuels.

"A 50-state solution has always been our preferred path forward and we understand that any deal involves compromise," the automakers' statement said. They said the deal gives "regulatory certainty by allowing us to meet both federal and state requirements with a single national fleet, avoiding a patchwork of regulations while continuing to ensure meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions."

On June 6, 17 major automakers wrote a letter to Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom seeking to revive talks to avoid "an extended period of litigation and instability." The White House rejected that effort and automakers and California launched private talks.

Democrats in Congress hope the agreement could lead to a resolution. Senator Tom Carper urged all automakers "to seize this important opportunity" and added he hoped the "administration will abandon its efforts which are reckless, illegal and bound to send the automotive sector into years of litigation and economic disarray."

Automakers credited Trump with reopening the requirements after the Obama administration in its final weeks had sought to lock them in through 2025. In White House meetings, they have urged Trump officials to reach a deal.

Nichols said the compromise would allow the White House to declare "victory" because it "slowed down the pace" of required fuel economy improvements. She added California is getting "substantially the same results in terms of getting cleaner cars onto the road but it makes it happen a year later."

Newsom said in a statement that the deal will "make the air cleaner and safer for us all... I now call on the rest of the auto industry to join us, and for the Trump administration to abandon its regressive proposal and do what is right for our economy, our people, and our planet."

A dozen US&nbsp;states have adopted California's vehicle emissions rules covering more than a third of all US&nbsp;sales.

Four major automakers said on Thursday they have reached a voluntary agreement with the state of California on fuel efficiency rules, bypassing a Trump administration effort to strip the state of the right to fight climate change by setting its own standards.

Four major automakers said on Thursday they have reached a voluntary agreement with the state of California on fuel efficiency rules, bypassing a Trump administration effort to strip the state of the right to fight climate change by setting its own standards. California and other states had vowed to enforce stricter emissions standards put in place by the Obama administration after President Donald Trump proposed rolling back the federal rules. Automakers had worried that years of court battles between the state and federal governments could create uncertainty for manufacturers. The California compromise proposal is more stringent than Trump's proposal but looser than the Obama-era rule. California, the most populous US state, accounts for about 12 per cent of US vehicle sales, and if the administration recognizes the deal it would allow automakers to operate under one set of national rules. "Ensuring that America’s vehicles are efficient, safe and affordable is a priority for us all," Ford Motor Co, BMW AG, Volkswagen AG and Honda Motor Co said in a joint statement. They said the accord could help maintain a nationwide set of fuel efficiency requirements. The automakers "didn't want to face the expense, distraction and the bad publicity that comes from being part of a big rollback on clean cars," Mary Nichols, who chairs the California Air Resources Board, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. She said the companies sought regulatory certainty and had agreed not to legally challenge California's vehicle regulatory authority. Nichols said other automakers could also adopt the compromise if they choose. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said in a statement the deal demonstrates the Obama era rules needed revising but added it "looked forward to reviewing the details of this agreement." The Trump administration in August 2018 proposed revoking California's right to impose state emissions standards or require more electric vehicles. The administration argued that federal law preempts states from setting their owns rules. Under Trump, federal regulators backed freezing emissions requirements for new cars and trucks at 2020 levels through 2026. The proposal by the US.Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not expected to go to the White House for final review for at least several more weeks, people briefed on the matter said. Nichols said that if the administration moves forward with that plan, California "will continue to enforce our regulations and pursue legal challenges to the federal rule." The White House did not immediately comment on the California deal with the automakers. NHTSA said in a statement it will keep working to finalize the regulation, and that its proposal "contained no language that would prevent any auto manufacturer from designing and building next-generation highly fuel-efficient vehicles." The Obama-era rules adopted in 2012 called for a fleetwide fuel efficiency average of 46.7 miles per gallon by 2025, with average annual increases of about 5 percent, compared with 37 mpg by 2026 under the Trump administration’s preferred option. California's compromise with the automakers would increase stringency of the requirements at a nationwide average annual rate of 3.7% starting in the 2022 model year through 2026, and 1% of that annual improvement could be covered by credits awarded for building electrified vehicles. The deal extends credits for building electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel vehicles and also hikes the cap for winning credits for fuel efficiency improvements not captured by traditional testing. California agreed to remove a requirement to account for upstream emissions of fuels. "A 50-state solution has always been our preferred path forward and we understand that any deal involves compromise," the automakers' statement said. They said the deal gives "regulatory certainty by allowing us to meet both federal and state requirements with a single national fleet, avoiding a patchwork of regulations while continuing to ensure meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions." On June 6, 17 major automakers wrote a letter to Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom seeking to revive talks to avoid "an extended period of litigation and instability." The White House rejected that effort and automakers and California launched private talks. Democrats in Congress hope the agreement could lead to a resolution. Senator Tom Carper urged all automakers "to seize this important opportunity" and added he hoped the "administration will abandon its efforts which are reckless, illegal and bound to send the automotive sector into years of litigation and economic disarray." Automakers credited Trump with reopening the requirements after the Obama administration in its final weeks had sought to lock them in through 2025. In White House meetings, they have urged Trump officials to reach a deal. Nichols said the compromise would allow the White House to declare "victory" because it "slowed down the pace" of required fuel economy improvements. She added California is getting "substantially the same results in terms of getting cleaner cars onto the road but it makes it happen a year later." Newsom said in a statement that the deal will "make the air cleaner and safer for us all... I now call on the rest of the auto industry to join us, and for the Trump administration to abandon its regressive proposal and do what is right for our economy, our people, and our planet." A dozen US states have adopted California's vehicle emissions rules covering more than a third of all US sales.

Bypassing Trump, four major automakers reach agreement on fuel efficiency with California

End of road as Volkswagen rolls out last Beetle

The iconic German car Volkswagen's Beetle will go out of production today after 82 years in existence after it was first designed by Austrian automotive giant ‎Ferdinand Porsche and presented to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in 1937.

The first Volkswagen Beetle&nbsp;was produced in 1937 in Stuttgart which was inaugurated by the German leader amid great fanfare.

The car envisaged as a "family car" for four members, never went into mass production in Germany due to disruption caused due to&nbsp;World War-II but finally saw the light of day in the late 1940s when it began production in Germany's Wolfsburg area and later spread across the country and then worldwide.

In the 1950s sales of the "superbug" soared in the US with the car's mesmeric appeal towards the "rebellious generation" in the US. The VW symbol symbolising freshness and youth captured the imagination of European and American youth who were jaded by the Vietnam war in the 1960s.

However, production and sales began taking a hit after Japanese cars - Toyota, Nissan, Honda including Ford and Opel began giving the VW Beetle stiff competition but the "Beetles generation" in the 1960s spearheaded by English rock band - The Beatles - comprising of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr made the brand a household name across the world.

In the 2000s facing stiff challenges, the car's production fell as demand began to collapse, even though it tried to sell in emerging markets in China and India however the magic had faded for the new generation powered by new cars and contemporary designs.

Beetle's Type 1 production was stopped in 2003 with new model failing&nbsp;to boost car&nbsp;numbers. The people living in Mexico's Cuautepec area&nbsp;which produced the modern version of the Beetle are now bracing for a shutdown after the car's long and fruitful run.

The iconic German car Volkswagen's Beetle will go out of production today after 82 years in existence after it was first designed by Austrian automotive giant ‎Ferdinand Porsche and presented to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in 1937.

The iconic German car Volkswagen's Beetle will go out of production today after 82 years in existence after it was first designed by Austrian automotive giant ‎Ferdinand Porsche and presented to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in 1937. The first Volkswagen Beetle was produced in 1937 in Stuttgart which was inaugurated by the German leader amid great fanfare. The car envisaged as a "family car" for four members, never went into mass production in Germany due to disruption caused due to World War-II but finally saw the light of day in the late 1940s when it began production in Germany's Wolfsburg area and later spread across the country and then worldwide. In the 1950s sales of the "superbug" soared in the US with the car's mesmeric appeal towards the "rebellious generation" in the US. The VW symbol symbolising freshness and youth captured the imagination of European and American youth who were jaded by the Vietnam war in the 1960s. However, production and sales began taking a hit after Japanese cars - Toyota, Nissan, Honda including Ford and Opel began giving the VW Beetle stiff competition but the "Beetles generation" in the 1960s spearheaded by English rock band - The Beatles - comprising of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr made the brand a household name across the world. In the 2000s facing stiff challenges, the car's production fell as demand began to collapse, even though it tried to sell in emerging markets in China and India however the magic had faded for the new generation powered by new cars and contemporary designs. Beetle's Type 1 production was stopped in 2003 with new model failing to boost car numbers. The people living in Mexico's Cuautepec area which produced the modern version of the Beetle are now bracing for a shutdown after the car's long and fruitful run.

1937-1919: Iconic Volkswagen Beetle car set to cease production

BMW will seek to appoint a chief executive later this month after Harald Krueger said he did not want to extend his contract, pre-empting deliberations about whether to give him another five-year term at the helm.

"Harald Krueger today informed the Chairman of the Supervisory Board that he will not seek another term of office beyond his current term running until 30 April 2020," the carmaker said.

The Munich-based carmaker said it will address the issue of CEO succession on July 18.

Production Chief Oliver Zipse, Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter and R&amp;D board member Klaus Froehlich are seen as potential successors.

"After more than ten years in the Board of Management, more than four of which as the CEO of the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/sachin-tendulkar-launches-bmw-new-x5-suv-in-india-219186&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjL5pD62J3jAhWK7XMBHeNBDfEQFjAJegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3c911qP-QPkyTv84HtdyYN">BMW</a> Group, I would like to pursue new professional endeavours and leverage my diverse international experience for new projects and ventures," Krueger said in a statement.

Under Krueger's leadership, BMW lost the title of best-selling luxury carmaking brand to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/mercedes-benz-launches-long-wheelbase-e-class-luxury-sedan-in-india-starting-at-rs-575-lakh-220165&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi9i8aO2Z3jAhXD63MBHeNYACMQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1f_znlX-ZOzTjk-xL3DVXU">Mercedes-Benz</a> in 2016 and put the brakes on a plan to mass-produce carbon-fibre based electric cars at a time when zero-emission vehicles made by Tesla were gaining traction with customers.

Krueger, a former production chief, was hastily installed as CEO designate in December 2014 and formally took office in May 2015 following the defection of Herbert Diess to rival Volkswagen.

Krueger, who is 53, avoided high-profile appearances in front of large crowds since he collapsed on stage during his first major news conference as CEO during the Frankfurt car show in September 2015.

The company sent Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter to high-profile meetings including a visit to the White House last year.

In 2018 when French president Emmanuel Macron invited carmakers to an auto industry summit on the eve of the Paris motor show, Peter, who speaks fluent French, was also chosen to be BMW's representative.

At BMW's annual results news conference earlier this year, the company sidestepped questions about whether Krueger would receive a contract extension. BMW spokesman Maximilian Schoeberl at the time said succession was "not a topic" being discussed.

BMW will seek to appoint a chief executive later this month after Harald Krueger said he did not want to extend his contract, pre-empting deliberations about whether to give him another five-year term at the helm.

BMW will seek to appoint a chief executive later this month after Harald Krueger said he did not want to extend his contract, pre-empting deliberations about whether to give him another five-year term at the helm. "Harald Krueger today informed the Chairman of the Supervisory Board that he will not seek another term of office beyond his current term running until 30 April 2020," the carmaker said. The Munich-based carmaker said it will address the issue of CEO succession on July 18. Production Chief Oliver Zipse, Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter and R&D board member Klaus Froehlich are seen as potential successors. "After more than ten years in the Board of Management, more than four of which as the CEO of the BMW Group, I would like to pursue new professional endeavours and leverage my diverse international experience for new projects and ventures," Krueger said in a statement. Under Krueger's leadership, BMW lost the title of best-selling luxury carmaking brand to Mercedes-Benz in 2016 and put the brakes on a plan to mass-produce carbon-fibre based electric cars at a time when zero-emission vehicles made by Tesla were gaining traction with customers. Krueger, a former production chief, was hastily installed as CEO designate in December 2014 and formally took office in May 2015 following the defection of Herbert Diess to rival Volkswagen. Krueger, who is 53, avoided high-profile appearances in front of large crowds since he collapsed on stage during his first major news conference as CEO during the Frankfurt car show in September 2015. The company sent Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter to high-profile meetings including a visit to the White House last year. In 2018 when French president Emmanuel Macron invited carmakers to an auto industry summit on the eve of the Paris motor show, Peter, who speaks fluent French, was also chosen to be BMW's representative. At BMW's annual results news conference earlier this year, the company sidestepped questions about whether Krueger would receive a contract extension. BMW spokesman Maximilian Schoeberl at the time said succession was "not a topic" being discussed.

BMW seeks new CEO after Harald Krueger announces 2020 retirement

Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler could face penalties of up to 1.83 billion euros and 746 million euros respectively, if they fail to meet the European Union's emissions targets set for 2021, according to a study.

Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler could face 2021 EU emissions fines: Study

In this segment of WION Wallet, Watch WION's Exclusive talk with Hemanth Kappanna. Hemanth Kappanna is the one who exposed Volkswagen's emission Fraud.

WION Wallet: Volkswagen whistleblower opens up

The Supreme Court Monday said no coercive action will be taken against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/after-ngt-slaps-rs-500-crore-fine-on-volkswagen-automobile-giant-to-move-supreme-court-201753">German auto major Volkswagen</a> against whom the National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 500 crore for damaging the environment through the use of "cheat device" in its diesel cars in India.

A bench headed by Justice S A Bobde virtually stayed the imposition of a fine for the time being against the multinational automobile company.

The apex green tribunal had on March 7 slapped a fine of Rs 500 crore on Volkswagen and directed the car maker to deposit the amount within two months.

The green panel on November 16, 2018, had said use of 'cheat device' by Volkswagen in diesel cars in India led to the inference of environmental damage and had directed it to deposit an interim amount of Rs 100 crore with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The Supreme Court Monday said no coercive action will be taken against German auto major Volkswagen against whom the National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 500 crore for damaging the environment through the use of "cheat device" in its diesel cars in India.

The Supreme Court Monday said no coercive action will be taken against German auto major Volkswagen against whom the National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of Rs 500 crore for damaging the environment through the use of "cheat device" in its diesel cars in India. A bench headed by Justice S A Bobde virtually stayed the imposition of a fine for the time being against the multinational automobile company. The apex green tribunal had on March 7 slapped a fine of Rs 500 crore on Volkswagen and directed the car maker to deposit the amount within two months. The green panel on November 16, 2018, had said use of 'cheat device' by Volkswagen in diesel cars in India led to the inference of environmental damage and had directed it to deposit an interim amount of Rs 100 crore with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

No coercive action against Volkswagen on Rs 500 crore NGT ban: Supreme Court

German automaker Volkswagen saw operating profit slip in the first quarter as the company set aside 1 billion euros for legal issues but reaffirmed its profit goals for the year and saw better profits at its core brand.

WION Wallet: Volkswagen's 1st quarter profit slips on legal risks

German prosecutors charged former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn and four others with fraud in the emissions cheating scandal that has helped turn many Europeans against diesel engines and accelerated the push toward electric cars.

WION Wallet: Former VW CEO charged with fraud in Germany, may face 10 yrs of imprisonment

German prosecutors said Monday they had charged former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn and four other managers over the group's "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal.

They "are accused of multiple crimes realised in a single criminal action, especially a particularly serious case of fraud and an infraction of the law against unfair competition," the prosecutors said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the other accused -- who were not named -- still work at VW or have since left the company.

Winterkorn has been singled out for his role as a "guarantor" to authorities and customers that the group was not selling cheating vehicles "even after he knew about the illegal manipulations" -- knowledge the prosecutors said he had "from May 25, 2014".

That date was more than a year before VW publicly admitted to fitting 11 million vehicles with software to make them appear less polluting in the lab than in real driving conditions.

"In the end, this resulted in the imposition of higher fines against Volkswagen AG in Germany as well as the USA," the prosecutors said.

As well as failing to inform authorities of the cheating, VW "with the knowledge and approval of Winterkorn" issued a software update in November 2014 whose only purpose was to cover up the so-called "defeat devices" that enabled the cheating, said the statement.

VW shares were little moved by the charges, gaining 0.4 per cent to trade at 154 euros around 1:15 pm in Frankfurt, slightly outperforming the DAX blue-chip index.

The Wolfsburg-based group has so far suffered costs of 29 billion euros ($32.8 billion) related to dieselgate, much of it in fines, compensation and buyback schemes in the United States.

In Germany, the group has paid 1.8 billion euros spread over two fines.

Aftershocks from the scandal have been serious enough to change the gigantic firm's course, with bosses now making a massive bet on electrification over the next decade.

But the legacy of dieselgate is still clinging to VW, with hundreds of thousands of customers in Germany bringing cases demanding compensation for their manipulated vehicles.

And investors have opened two court cases against VW and its holding company Porsche SE, saying bosses should have informed markets sooner about the likely financial impact of the cheating.

German prosecutors said Monday they had charged former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn and four other managers over the group's "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal.

German prosecutors said Monday they had charged former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn and four other managers over the group's "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal. They "are accused of multiple crimes realised in a single criminal action, especially a particularly serious case of fraud and an infraction of the law against unfair competition," the prosecutors said in a statement. It was not immediately clear whether the other accused -- who were not named -- still work at VW or have since left the company. Winterkorn has been singled out for his role as a "guarantor" to authorities and customers that the group was not selling cheating vehicles "even after he knew about the illegal manipulations" -- knowledge the prosecutors said he had "from May 25, 2014". That date was more than a year before VW publicly admitted to fitting 11 million vehicles with software to make them appear less polluting in the lab than in real driving conditions. "In the end, this resulted in the imposition of higher fines against Volkswagen AG in Germany as well as the USA," the prosecutors said. As well as failing to inform authorities of the cheating, VW "with the knowledge and approval of Winterkorn" issued a software update in November 2014 whose only purpose was to cover up the so-called "defeat devices" that enabled the cheating, said the statement. VW shares were little moved by the charges, gaining 0.4 per cent to trade at 154 euros around 1:15 pm in Frankfurt, slightly outperforming the DAX blue-chip index. The Wolfsburg-based group has so far suffered costs of 29 billion euros ($32.8 billion) related to dieselgate, much of it in fines, compensation and buyback schemes in the United States. In Germany, the group has paid 1.8 billion euros spread over two fines. Aftershocks from the scandal have been serious enough to change the gigantic firm's course, with bosses now making a massive bet on electrification over the next decade. But the legacy of dieselgate is still clinging to VW, with hundreds of thousands of customers in Germany bringing cases demanding compensation for their manipulated vehicles. And investors have opened two court cases against VW and its holding company Porsche SE, saying bosses should have informed markets sooner about the likely financial impact of the cheating.

German prosecutors charge ex-Volkswagen boss Winterkorn with fraud

Luxury sports car maker Porsche is targeting additional volumes in India with an affordable version of its SUV Macan which it aims to drive in the country over the next few months.

The company plans to bring in two variants of the next generation Macan to the country, with the entry-level trim expected to attract a newer set of customers to its fold with a lower price tag.

"We will launch the new Macan in June-July at a competitive price and we have high hopes on this car," Porsche India Director Pavan Shetty told PTI.

The company plans to drive in two variants with different engine outputs, he added.

Macan S variant would be on the performance side generating an output of 340 horsepower (HP), while Macan's entry-level trim will come with 245 HP output, Shetty said.

"...With new Macan, we anticipate and expect even corporates to start looking at Porsche car, currently our top customers are businessmen," he added.

Macan range currently starts at over Rs 80 lakh in India.

Porsche had been selling between 400 and 500 units till 2017 but last year, there was a dip in sales as it could not sell its SUV Cayenne for around six months.

"This year onwards, we should be back to stability and I am sure the new set of cars will also provide traction to the sales," Shetty said.

The super luxury segment in India currently remains small at 40,000 units a year, which is only about 1.3 per cent of the 3.2 million strong passenger vehicle segment.

When asked about new model launches, Shetty said that besides new generation Macan, the company would also bring in Cayenne Coupe and an electric car next year.

The company has already introduced its flagship 911 range in India last week. Porsche, a division of Volkswagen group, imports models from Germany into India.

When asked to comment on government policies in India, Shetty said all the company seeks is stability.

"Stability in terms of policies is really key in our planning process and stability makes us plan for the future. There should not be frequent duty changes, frequent changes in rules and regulations. Rules are set and we follow that no problem with that," he noted.&nbsp;

Luxury sports car maker Porsche is targeting additional volumes in India with an affordable version of its SUV Macan which it aims to drive in the country over the next few months.

Luxury sports car maker Porsche is targeting additional volumes in India with an affordable version of its SUV Macan which it aims to drive in the country over the next few months. The company plans to bring in two variants of the next generation Macan to the country, with the entry-level trim expected to attract a newer set of customers to its fold with a lower price tag. "We will launch the new Macan in June-July at a competitive price and we have high hopes on this car," Porsche India Director Pavan Shetty told PTI. The company plans to drive in two variants with different engine outputs, he added. Macan S variant would be on the performance side generating an output of 340 horsepower (HP), while Macan's entry-level trim will come with 245 HP output, Shetty said. "...With new Macan, we anticipate and expect even corporates to start looking at Porsche car, currently our top customers are businessmen," he added. Macan range currently starts at over Rs 80 lakh in India. Porsche had been selling between 400 and 500 units till 2017 but last year, there was a dip in sales as it could not sell its SUV Cayenne for around six months. "This year onwards, we should be back to stability and I am sure the new set of cars will also provide traction to the sales," Shetty said. The super luxury segment in India currently remains small at 40,000 units a year, which is only about 1.3 per cent of the 3.2 million strong passenger vehicle segment. When asked about new model launches, Shetty said that besides new generation Macan, the company would also bring in Cayenne Coupe and an electric car next year. The company has already introduced its flagship 911 range in India last week. Porsche, a division of Volkswagen group, imports models from Germany into India. When asked to comment on government policies in India, Shetty said all the company seeks is stability. "Stability in terms of policies is really key in our planning process and stability makes us plan for the future. There should not be frequent duty changes, frequent changes in rules and regulations. Rules are set and we follow that no problem with that," he noted.

Porsche to drive in new-generation Macan in India by July

Volkswagen Group India spokesperson on Thursday stated that the automobile giant will challenge the NGT order before the Supreme Court.

The reaction came shortly after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slapped <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/emission-fiasco-ngt-slaps-rs-500-crore-fine-on-volkswagen-201705">Rs 500 crore fine on Volkswagen</a> for damaging the environment through the use of 'cheat device' in its diesel cars.&nbsp;

Volkswagen is required to deposit the amount with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) within 2 months.

The environmental watchdog enhanced the compensation amount of Rs 171.34 crore, which was recommended by an NGT-appointed committee, as a means of "creating deterrence," news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

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Volkswagen Group India Spokesperson: The Volkswagen Group will challenge the order of the National Green Tribunal before the Supreme Court.
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The automaker, however, said that it did not violate the BS-IV norms and that the test results were based on "road testings" for which there were no prescribed standards.

The bench said, "Sustainable development is the main guiding factor... We are unable to accept the manufacturer's objections to the report," PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

Volkswagen Group India spokesperson on Thursday stated that the automobile giant will challenge the NGT order before the Supreme Court. The reaction came shortly after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slapped Rs 500 crore fine on Volkswagen for damaging the environment through the use of 'cheat device' in its diesel cars.

Volkswagen Group India spokesperson on Thursday stated that the automobile giant will challenge the NGT order before the Supreme Court. The reaction came shortly after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slapped Rs 500 crore fine on Volkswagen for damaging the environment through the use of 'cheat device' in its diesel cars. Volkswagen is required to deposit the amount with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) within 2 months. The environmental watchdog enhanced the compensation amount of Rs 171.34 crore, which was recommended by an NGT-appointed committee, as a means of "creating deterrence," news agency PTI reported. Volkswagen Group India Spokesperson: The Volkswagen Group will challenge the order of the National Green Tribunal before the Supreme Court. — ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2019 × The automaker, however, said that it did not violate the BS-IV norms and that the test results were based on "road testings" for which there were no prescribed standards. The bench said, "Sustainable development is the main guiding factor... We are unable to accept the manufacturer's objections to the report," PTI reported. (With inputs from PTI)

After NGT slaps Rs 500 crore fine on Volkswagen, automobile giant to move Supreme Court

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