Volkswagen demands more time to provide emissions cheating data

Volkswagen has requested more time to submit emissions data to the European regulators, according to reports.

The German carmaker, which on Monday was hit by a potential multi-billion-dollar civil case by the US Department of Justice for cheating emissions tests, failed to meet an end-of-year deadline set by the European Commission, sources told the Wall Street Journal, and sent a letter asking for an extension.

EU climate and energy commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete would need to decide if Volkswagen can have more time, having in November asked the company to provide actual information on the levels of CO2 emissions from all its models.

If this data shows the company has breached EU caps on CO2 emissions it would face sizeable fines.

Since 2008, newly registered vehicles in the EU are permitted to emit 130g of CO2 per kilometre, with 1g above this level receiving a €5 fine, the second costing €15, the third €25 and every subsequent digit carrying a €95 fine.

Volkswagen in December admitted the emissions scandal was down to a “chain of errors" that began as far back as 2005, with the starting point being a strategic decision to launch a large-scale promotion of diesel vehicles in the US.

The problem is not limited to the US, with litigation finance groups preparing class actions by German shareholders and revelations that nearly 1.2m vehicles in the UK have had emissions-cheating software installed.