Volvo has been suspicious of Volkswagen’s diesel emissions performance years ago – senior exec

Volvo V90 R-Design Location

Volvo V90 R-Design Location

Volvo Cars has been suspicious of Volkswagen’s diesel emissions performance as many as seven years ago. A senior executive in Volvo told CarAdvice that even so, the company did not have enough proof to question the German carmaker then.

According to Kent Falck, a 29-year Volvo veteran, the Swedish carmaker couldn’t fathom at the time how Volkswagen was able to meet the stringent US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations to sell diesel engines, when its own developers could not.

The company believed then that German group had developed an innovative proprietary system that enabled it to do so. However, all become clear when it was revealed that Volkswagen was using “defeat devices” to cheat emissions tests.

volkswagen logo wm

“How many diesel cars have we sold in the US up to today? Zero. We can’t meet EPA. No one can,” Falck told a small group of Australian media including CarAdvice. “We have the same suppliers (as Volkswagen), we have Bosch, we have Denso, we are working with the same partners. So we know that the technology doesn’t exist,” he added.

Falck also acknowledged when asked if it was an open secret in the car industry that Volkswagen might be up to no good. “We sat in a room and reviewed all the facts and figures with specialists, we couldn’t manage it. How were others doing it, we didn’t know,” he said.

On the matter of Volvo’s future, Falck stated that Volvo’s new range of four-cylinder petrol engines from the XC90, S90 and V90, would likely be its last internal combustion units. From 2025 onwards, all its powertrains will either be plug-in hybrids or pure electric vehicles (EVs).

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Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard’s strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • wiwiwiwiwiw on Jun 29, 2016 at 11:13 am

    I like the last paragraph. And yet syok sendiri proton wants to build a range of its own engines when everyone is moving to plug in hybrids, electric and hydrogen. Hahaha

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 40 Thumb down 20
    • Dun worry toyota will still use dinosar 1NZFE until 4040

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 31 Thumb down 37
      • roti john on Jun 29, 2016 at 4:09 pm

        It means the engine can last what, unlike campro which kaput

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 9
        • Pintaras on Jun 29, 2016 at 9:02 pm

          U misunderstanding, John means Toyota use tat old design until 4040
          Actually current model got a lot of breakdown at highway and no save fuel at all.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
        • Keep supplying old tech to the road la bodo

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
          • papa john on Jun 30, 2016 at 10:14 am

            Thai Vios already replaced with 2NRFE la bodo

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • mr1031 on Jun 29, 2016 at 12:47 pm

      ignorant tp nk sembang kencang

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
  • Kunta Kinte on Jun 29, 2016 at 11:21 am

    But Malaysians also have suspected DSG issues 8 years ago also but VGM kept denying. Until 2 years ago VW AG confessed in black and white that their DSG cannot be used in hot countries like Malaysia and also where traffic jam is bad.

    Time for VGM to either buy back or compensate all VW onwers in Malaysia for their sufferings with DSG and the fact that, their RV has fallen like crazy

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 56 Thumb down 13
    • Davis Tan on Jun 29, 2016 at 1:35 pm

      Replace the gearbox oil to mineral base, all issue solved.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 16
      • Kunta Kinte on Jun 29, 2016 at 2:58 pm

        Even in 2016, DSG use mineral oil also, still judder and still breakdown. See VGM facebook page for comments.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 3
    • timbuktu on Jun 29, 2016 at 1:39 pm

      Kunta Kinte, care to send me a link to VW’s public announcement which admits that DSG cannot be used in hot countries?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 10
      • Kunta Kinte on Jun 29, 2016 at 3:30 pm

        Don’t be lazy. go google it. Everything also want to be spoon fed is it?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 7
        • LittleMin on Jul 01, 2016 at 10:59 am

          Which VW model are you driving now?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • timbuktu on Jul 04, 2016 at 5:42 pm

          people just like to be keyboard warrior without facts. that was a simple test. asking for facts from the kunta kinte and he can’t even produce a link. typical of a useless person.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Chong Kiat Yap on Jun 30, 2016 at 10:09 am

      Ford also should compensate for jerky dry clutch

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Amain on Jun 29, 2016 at 11:28 am

    Many PT readers have been suspicious of Proton performance years ago.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 73 Thumb down 9
    • camtakpro on Jun 29, 2016 at 11:46 am

      It is decades ago, not years ago.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 10
    • nosushi on Jun 29, 2016 at 11:49 am

      Performance of airbags? Yup before suspicious, now they believe p1’s much better then your jepunis overlord airbags namely takata

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 9
    • Oh yeah, Proton must be relying on some sort of cheat device or better yet witchcraft for its good ride and handling performance right? Everything can be related to Proton right?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4
    • Leonardo on Jun 29, 2016 at 12:10 pm

      @Aiman, performance of what? Emission standrds? Any proof?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 14
      • http://paultan.org/2005/08/31/proton-first-quarter-2005-financial-results/

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
  • Leonardo on Jun 29, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    The EPA was formulated to protect imports from entering the US auto market. Plain and simple. Protecting the environment is just an excuse.
    I wonder if VW and Volvo could not meet the EPA requirements, how did the US made cars meet them? We are not talking about some small fry companies here.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 14
    • tokmoh. on Jun 29, 2016 at 2:55 pm

      Pick ups, popular in Murica, are exempt cuz deemed to be commercial vehicle.

      VW, Volvo cars are not commercial.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo (ori1) on Jun 29, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    Trust the words coming out of Geely?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 8
  • but of course, the hindsight bias is perfect…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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