Feds arrest first VW exec, Oliver Schmidt

VLS_GUY

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Location
Camarillo, CA
TDI
2002 Bug, Skid Plate, Stage 1 Upsolute

ericy

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Rehoboth Beach, DE
TDI
2015 Golf TDI (wife's car)
Another arrest in dieselgate..

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/b...ns-investigation-settlement.html?ref=business

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Volkswagen executive who faces charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, two people with knowledge of the arrest said on Sunday, marking an escalation of the criminal investigation into the automaker’s diesel emissions cheating scandal.

Oliver Schmidt, who led Volkswagen’s regulatory compliance office in the United States from 2014 to March 2015, was arrested on Saturday by investigators in Florida and is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Detroit, said the two people, a law enforcement official and someone familiar with the case.
 

r11

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Location
NJ
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE 6MT (BB'd), 2015 Passat TDI SE 6MT
Cat will sing like a canary.

Not like he tried to blow smoke due to his own desire to help the brand.
I'd curtail intl travel if I were VW exec.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Put him behind a running CR TDI and let's see what NOx really does!
 

Airpizz6

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Location
Bel Air, MD
TDI
Now TDI-free, but there now is a 15 MB E250 BT in the driveway
The third new thread with this exact story. Let's get the VW software geeks to develop a tool to block or at least delete these duplicative threads.
 

Texas-Rebel

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
Tyler, Texas
TDI
2009 Jetta TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI
Personally, I think this whole diesel gate scandal is nothing but a load of BS.. Had the EPA not had a hair up it's rear end and had a bunch of climate change morons coming up with some way to test for emissions on a TDI moving at highway speeds, this would have never been revealed.. 500K cars in North America that are putting out extra NOX aren't going to be that more harmful to the environment.

What about all the other millions of vehicles that burn oil and drip other fluids daily on the roads.. What about all the tens of thousands of Frak wells that are venting millions of cubic feet of methane into the atmosphere?? I don't see the EPA too concerned about that...
 

atomicfront

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Location
baltimore
TDI
2013 VW Jetta wagon tdi
Personally, I think this whole diesel gate scandal is nothing but a load of BS.. Had the EPA not had a hair up it's rear end and had a bunch of climate change morons coming up with some way to test for emissions on a TDI moving at highway speeds, this would have never been revealed.. 500K cars in North America that are putting out extra NOX aren't going to be that more harmful to the environment.

What about all the other millions of vehicles that burn oil and drip other fluids daily on the roads.. What about all the tens of thousands of Frak wells that are venting millions of cubic feet of methane into the atmosphere?? I don't see the EPA too concerned about that...
They purposely cheated on the test. You could think the test is too stringent but they are causing health effects to the population. They at least were creating an unfair competition to the auto manufactures who didn't cheat on emissions.
 

Armby

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Location
Ottawa, Canada
TDI
2013 Golf
Personally, I think this whole diesel gate scandal is nothing but a load of BS.. Had the EPA not had a hair up it's rear end and had a bunch of climate change morons coming up with some way to test for emissions on a TDI moving at highway speeds, this would have never been revealed.. 500K cars in North America that are putting out extra NOX aren't going to be that more harmful to the environment.

What about all the other millions of vehicles that burn oil and drip other fluids daily on the roads.. What about all the tens of thousands of Frak wells that are venting millions of cubic feet of methane into the atmosphere?? I don't see the EPA too concerned about that...
Exactly, what about all those other vehicles and Frak wells. If VW is allowed to do it you have nothing to stop all manufacturers and drillers being able to do it. Soon even Houston will look like Los Angeles in the 60s. No thanks!
 
Last edited:

FVWVWF

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Location
Canada
TDI
Sold - 2012 TDI Highline Manual
They at least were creating an unfair competition to the auto manufactures who didn't cheat on emissions.
I think everyone was. Googling articles on car emissions it seems plenty of car manufacturers were cheating.
 

Texas-Rebel

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
Tyler, Texas
TDI
2009 Jetta TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI
What about BMW?? How is it their 328d has 180HP with 286ft/lbs. of torque and the 45MPG rating able to pass these tests??

How do you get more HP, TQ, and MPG from the same displacement in engine size, which is 2.0L?? Bigger Turbo? Smaller injectors?

I believe the 2014 328d has the DEF device for spraying the equivalent of urine into the exhaust stream..
 

atomicfront

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Location
baltimore
TDI
2013 VW Jetta wagon tdi
What about BMW?? How is it their 328d has 180HP with 286ft/lbs. of torque and the 45MPG rating able to pass these tests??

How do you get more HP, TQ, and MPG from the same displacement in engine size, which is 2.0L?? Bigger Turbo? Smaller injectors?

I believe the 2014 328d has the DEF device for spraying the equivalent of urine into the exhaust stream..
VW could have passed the tests. They just didn't want to put the cost of the equipment into the cars. Easier to handle the higher costs in a car costing 52k than one costing 24k.
 

TDILeo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Location
Portland OR
TDI
CW 2011 Golf TDI 6M Repurchased By VW 1/30/17 1985 VW GTI
VW could have passed the tests. They just didn't want to put the cost of the equipment into the cars. Easier to handle the higher costs in a car costing 52k than one costing 24k.
Yep. It would have added about 350 USD to the price of the vehicle.
 

BT3076

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Location
Pennsylvania
TDI
2010 cr
Although I acknowledge vw cheated, but once the whole emission conversation starts to trend into this whole global "I want to breathe clean air crap," I do not really listen past that. Until China gets on board, which produces nearly 2.5x the emissions compared to us and increasing, we can pull all the diesels off the road, close the frak wells and cut reliance off of fossil fuels buy a decent margin and it will hardly have any impact "globally", but will have drastic impact domestically with respect to the economy/ fuel pricing.
 

Jetta SS

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Location
Grand Bay, AL
TDI
'98 Jetta
but when banks collapsed and the taxpayers had to bail them out......... no arrests. This guy obviously doesn't have connections or money.
 

PacCoastFwy923

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Location
Oakland
TDI
2015 Passat SE TDI 6-speed manual; 2006 mkV Jetta TDI / 5-speed / Pkg 2
Although I acknowledge vw cheated, but once the whole emission conversation starts to trend into this whole global "I want to breathe clean air crap," I do not really listen past that. Until China gets on board, which produces nearly 2.5x the emissions compared to us and increasing, we can pull all the diesels off the road, close the frak wells and cut reliance off of fossil fuels buy a decent margin and it will hardly have any impact "globally", but will have drastic impact domestically with respect to the economy/ fuel pricing.
NOx emissions are much more of a local and regional problem than a nationwide or global problem.

Look primarily at health impacts of those directly exposed to diesel emissions, and smog problems in large metro areas.

If you think that's BS take a look at the awful air quality and resultant health impacts in large Chinese cities, and in diesel-popular European cities such as Paris and Barcelona.

I agree with your larger picture segment, too, but that didn't negate the local impacts.

Yeah, a half million TDIs are a drop in the bucket, but that doesn't mean the violation and deception should be ignored. And certainly we shouldn't pour filth into our skies because China does theirs.
 

Texas-Rebel

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
Tyler, Texas
TDI
2009 Jetta TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI
what about reformulating diesel fuel so that it doesn't put out the NOX??

I heard about this company back 5 years ago and was highly impressed. They use a process in blending diesel with natural gas and come out with a product that burns soot free. You could essentially delete the DPF and other emissions crap on all diesel vehicles.

If I was a rich man, I'd put one of these refineries in Texas....

http://www.clearrefining.com/index.php/gdiesel/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSDaN2RuaD4
 

john.jackson9213

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Location
Miramar, Ca. (Think Top Gun)
TDI
1996 B4V
Most of you are missing the point: VW intentionally broke the rules and then they lied about it. That is clear criminal intent on the part of VW.

Mr. Schmidt's arrest is the second one in the criminal case against a VW employee. I suspect several more will follow all the way up the VW organization.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Duplicate thread; I'm locking two out of the three. Links already posted to the other two. One will survive.
I merged the other two threads into this one a few hours ago. :confused:

How many of these threads are there? :eek: :D

Thread reopened.
 

atomicfront

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Location
baltimore
TDI
2013 VW Jetta wagon tdi
Although I acknowledge vw cheated, but once the whole emission conversation starts to trend into this whole global "I want to breathe clean air crap," I do not really listen past that. Until China gets on board, which produces nearly 2.5x the emissions compared to us and increasing, we can pull all the diesels off the road, close the frak wells and cut reliance off of fossil fuels buy a decent margin and it will hardly have any impact "globally", but will have drastic impact domestically with respect to the economy/ fuel pricing.
I was in Iceland for a couple of weeks a few years ago. And there air quality is pretty pristine. They don't use fossil fuel for energy just natural energy. China can screw up their air quality all they want it doesn't mean we should.
 

TDI smile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Location
Edmonton, Alberta (b4 BC - LOWER MAINLAND = Chilli
TDI
2002 TDI (ALH) with 513,000 km. First Owner and very happy... No Problems, never left us stranded on the Highway. Average useage is about between under 4 ltr. and 5 ltr. Normal longdistance travel: 4.1/100
One more Lightening strike and we have a lot more NOx....Looks like the EPA just wants to hold on to their chairs
 

GoFaster

Moderator at Large
Joined
Jun 16, 1999
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
what about reformulating diesel fuel so that it doesn't put out the NOX??

I heard about this company back 5 years ago and was highly impressed. They use a process in blending diesel with natural gas and come out with a product that burns soot free. You could essentially delete the DPF and other emissions crap on all diesel vehicles.

If I was a rich man, I'd put one of these refineries in Texas....

http://www.clearrefining.com/index.php/gdiesel/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSDaN2RuaD4
Even if it lives up to their claims (and I always have doubts when large claims are made) ... the reduction in NOx and PM is not sufficient to allow the emission controls to be eliminated.
 

tsingtao

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2004
Location
Phoenix, AZ
TDI
2016 Mazda 3 Hatchback 2009 Jetta TDI--Bought back 12/21/16
what about reformulating diesel fuel so that it doesn't put out the NOX??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSDaN2RuaD4
The two major constituents of air by far are nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). it actually takes energy for these two to combine (rather than releasing energy as when oxygen and carbon or oxygen and hydrogen combine). Under conditions of high temperature and pressure (like in a combustion chamber) the N2 and O2 combine to form NOx. It does not come from the fuel.

EGR is used to lower the peak heat of combustion and the multi-step injection is used to moderate the peak pressure but unlike a gasoline engine, which runs without excess oxygen, a diesel engine can not use simple catalyst to change the NOx back into oxygen and nitrogen as a diesel runs with excess oxygen, which tends to drive the reaction in the direction of creating NOx.
 

ericy

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Rehoboth Beach, DE
TDI
2015 Golf TDI (wife's car)
There was a story in the news which said it was an ill considered trip to the US that allowed them to arrest the guy. Normally Germany doesn't extradite.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Even if it lives up to their claims (and I always have doubts when large claims are made) ... the reduction in NOx and PM is not sufficient to allow the emission controls to be eliminated.
It's my understanding that NOX and particulate production are formed by opposite processes. If you reduce one, you increase the other. So if it's possible to reduce PM with the fuel, then NOX would be easier to reduce in the engine. I won't play with the font, but that should be a biiiig IF.

Then, with PM reduced pre-engine and NOX reduced in the engine, the load on the after treatment system would be less and - theoretically - cheaper.
 

MrSprdSheet

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Location
East Coast
TDI
'09 JSW TDI
Schmidt actually came back, to vacation in Florida before his arrest on the way home. Stories are saying his lawyer informed U.S. authorities of his whereabouts. That doesn't make sense, unless he's cooperating. Some confusing things as this next episode unfolds.

A different Schmitt, who writes for Forbes, put it well why VW execs won't come for this year's Detroit Auto Show: "“It’s not about not going, it’s about not coming back,”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/bertels...ger-goes-to-jail-for-dieselgate/#4c3108243df3

NYT has a link to the Feds complaint against Schmidt:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...-volkswagen-complaint-compliance-manager.html

It really doesn't add up. Schmidt also supposedly sought consult with the FBI, during 2015. I didn't know crooked companies could be this big. Negligence, even causing death, is going to happen in this industry, but such raw intent to defraud both the customer and the regulator? I love watching arrogance fall hard. This won't stop being satisfying, until its been as long as my engine light was on ;)
 
Top