Volkswagen is opposed to the retrofitting of diesel cars of Euro 5 emission standard, and advises its customers from a Hardware upgrade through a third-party provider. “All of us previously well-known concepts have disadvantages for our customers, such as more fuel consumption and increased CO2 emissions and partly also power reduction,” warned Board member for development Frank Welsch said in Wolfsburg on Friday. In addition, not all Euro-5-vehicles to retrofit, and not all of them would fall below a reference value of 270 milligrams per kilometre, to be of threat of entry prohibited except. Also the permanent functioning of the technology was not ensured.

A Euro 5 car with an eleven-year-old generation of engines to the level of a modern Euro 6 vehicle upgrade, from a technical point of view, not possible. In addition, there is VW, up to now no definite knowledge of how subsequent interventions in the control system, the components and the vehicle architecture in continuous operation, long-term impact.

“the retrofit industry on a train”

The Federal transport Ministry had previously released a 30-page paper, in which the technical requirements for Hardware to be retrofit listed. “Now, the aftermarket industry is on the train, to develop effective systems, with which all the limits and rules are respected”, said Federal Minister of transport, Andreas Scheuer (CSU). If these are met, will provide the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) as soon as possible the approval so that the systems could be quickly offered on the market.

as yet no complete applications to the KBA for approval are according to the Ministry. Scheuer told the German press Agency, the developer of the retrofit systems had said that they would need six months: “the KBA may issue the permits and then can be carried out quickly, the production and the installation.”

the package of measures for better air quality

The Hardware retrofits, modifications to the engine, are part of a package of measures of the Federal government to improve air quality in cities. In many communities, the pollutant limits are exceeded, courts have arranged for several cities, driving bans.

With the technical regulations of the Federal government determines the requirements for effective retrofit systems. Accordingly, the manufacturer must confirm that the retrofit system is 100,000 miles or five years. In addition, retrofitted vehicles emit less than 270 milligrams of nitrogen dioxide per kilometre.

This value is not important, because the Federal government wants to stipulate that Diesel-powered vehicles, the emission standards will be exempted Euro 4 and Euro 5 in the future of driving – if they launch in the everyday lives of more than 270 milligrams of nitrogen dioxide per kilometre driven. To apply for example, if they are retrofitted with the new Hardware.