Czech figures for dieselgate emerging
Škoda, VW sold over 150,000 diesel-engine cars in ČR in 2009-13
Prague, Sept 24 (ČTK) — Škoda Auto and Volkswagen (VW) sold in the Czech Republic over 150,000 new cars with diesel engines in 2009–13 and a major part of them were TDI engines, type EA 189, that may have provided false emission data, according to data from the Car Importers Association and the car makers.
Škoda, a member of the VW group, sold over 120,000 diesel-engine cars on the Czech market during the said period, VW more than 36,000 units. A major part of them was equipped with EA 189 engines, that is 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 liter common-rail, euro 5, 75-180 horsepower (hp) motors, according to the server Autoforum.cz.
The overall sales also include cars with 1.4 or 1.9 TDI motors which are not concerned by the emission scandal, according to available information.
On top of that, however, thousands of used cars equipped with defeat devices have been imported to the CzechRepublic.
Škoda used the EA 189 engines in almost all of its models including Octavia, Fabia and Rapid cars.
In its annual report, Škoda said it produced 68,892 EA 189 engines in 2013 alone.
Škoda's cars are now being equipped with a new generation of motors meeting the Euro 6 standards. The emission scandal does not apply to this type, Škoda said.
For now Škoda did not say how many cars with the problem engines have been supplied to customers in the Czech Republic and abroad. Nor did it provide details about repairs of the cars in question.
The Transport Ministry will help contact the owners of the problem cars who will not be obliged to go to car repair shops, however.
All costs including those related to the car checks will be paid by the producer.
The ministry said today that it has not yet received information about the number of vehicles concerned by the emission scandal although it asked the car makers to supply it. The case is being examined in cooperation with the German federal transport ministry and also with the relevant authorities in Great Britain where Skoda cars to be sold on the European market are certified. Skoda picked Great Britain at a time when the CzechRepublic was not an EU member.
The scandal broke out over the weekend where the US environmental agency announced that VW had installed illegal defeat device software in some of its cars in the USA to cheat emission tests.
VW then admitted that it might concern up to 11 million cars all over the world.
Petr Říha of Dekra, in charge of STK (state technical control) operation, said that certification rules in the US are stricter than in Europe which is why it is not certain if changes to European rules would make any sense. Drivers need not be afraid of any possible problems at STK emission checks following repairs of the problem engines in their cars, said Říha.
Car industry expert Roland Zsilinszký said that the case would have no major impact on customer behavior.
Diesel-engine cars make up about 40 percent of new car sales on the Czech market over the past five years.
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