Korean prosecutors seize Audi, VW cars for emission rigging

The South Korean prosecution has confiscated hundreds of Audi and Volkswagen vehicles as part of its investigation into Audi Volkswagen Korea, the Korean unit of a German carmaker Volkswagen AG, on emission and fuel-efficiency rigging allegations.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said that it seized total 956 cars including Audi A1, Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf 1.6 models at the company’s pre-delivery inspection (PDI) center located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday. The confiscated cars were produced this year in Germany and are equipped with a 1.6-liter EA288 diesel engine to meet Euro 6 emissions standards set by the European Union, which put a stricter limit on exhaust emissions for new vehicles. The Euro 6 standards allow 0.08 gram or below of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per kilometer for passenger diesel cars. Korea is so far the only country that found alleged faults on Euro 6 compliant cars, the prosecution said.

The seized 350 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 cars received an emission certificate but failed to meet the Euro 6 standards, the prosecutors’ office said, adding that 292 units of the Audi Ai and 314 units of the Audi A3 were imported without emission certificate. The country’s Clean Air Conservation Acts stipulates that the emission certificate is a must for imported cars and bans selling of cars that exceed the permissible emissions limit.

The prosecutors’ office said it found defects in the confiscated cars and are investigating whether they affected emissions levels. The faulty cars haven’t been sold to consumers yet, but 281 units of the 2015 Audi A1 with the same 1.6-liter EA288 engine whose sales are currently discontinued are running in the country.

The prosecution suspected that Audi Volkswagen Korea was aware of potential issues with the seized cars and has decided not to receive emission certificate for them. It will investigate related officials at the company to find whether they have violated the rule intentionally or negligently, and see if other car models have the same problem.

It has been the fourth time that the Korean prosecution seized Audi Volkswagen cars to probe emission and fuel efficiency fabrication allegations since it started related investigation in February 2015.

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