Volvo and pulled into the gas scandal – it was a matter of time – Expressen

It was understood only of when. German authorities investigate a range of brands in addition Volkswagen is logical – and most welcome. I hope that once and for all straightens out some questions.

Volvo is now drawn into diesel scandal seriously. To me, several Volvo managers and engineers repeatedly guaranteed that they were not cheated with an emission in the way Volkswagen is accused. Volvo executives have said that this is not at all occur within Volvo. At the same time, it has become a truth on the street that “everyone cheats course of consumption, the know all.” And it is here we must distinguish between the one and the other.

Volkswagen has cheated with emission values ​​with the help of a special software. They have been recognized and they will try to fix the issue. The Cheat with the software, the approximately 11 million cars from the VW Group worldwide and involves the emission of so-called NOx gases. Besides that VW also recognized that there may be discrepancies and inaccuracies in approximately 800,000 diesel cars in Europe regarding CO2 emissions.

All automakers, VW and Volvo, optimize their cars for the driving cycle that determines consumption data and thus CO2 emissions and the various taxes and fees. The difference between actual consumption and measured in laboratories need need not be, and probably is not, cheating.

The German authorities have since VW scandal erupted tested a number of cars. And I think it’s good that we can now find out if there is a broad cheating among several manufacturers – or whether the differences in emissions is largely due to the optimization of the test cycle.

I’m not so naive as to believe that Volvo certainly not engaged in cheating in any context – it would be like saying that Swedish athletes do not take drugs. I obviously can not vouch for Volvo in any way. But I would be very surprised if it is diverted from Wolfsburg current VW also occurred in Gothenburg for the Volvo. Very surprised.

The news from Germany comes as the EU debates the proposal submitted by the various EU governments put forth just over a week ago. The proposal by the governments considered too weak and most indications now that the European Commission is trying to stop the proposal. I do not think that the proposal is too wimpy. It may be that on paper but in actual traffic and the current actual emissions – and it is surely what we should go for – so, the proposal significantly reduced emissions of NOx emissions. Unfortunately, it is sometimes too much politics to be able to see clearly on one thing. In this case, possibly the Commission to stop a tough proposition and instead end up in another long bench.