The Latest on lawsuits filed against Volkswagen over vehicles equipped with software that cheated on emissions tests (all times local):
1 p.m.
Maryland is joining New York and Massachusetts in a legal action against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche over diesel emissions cheating.
The lawsuits, announced Tuesday, allege the German automaker and its affiliates broke state environmental laws by selling vehicles equipped with software that concealed true emissions in order to pass government tests.
The suits seek “substantial penalties” based partially on a calculation of the duration of the alleged violations.
VW agreed last month to spend up to $15.3 billion to settle other consumer and government claims. The attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts say that did not resolve claims regarding state environmental laws.
In a statement Volkswagen says it is “regrettable” that states are suing while it is in talks with authorities about a national resolution over the emissions scandal.
___
11:45 a.m.
Volkswagen says it’s “regrettable” that states are filing lawsuits over diesel emissions cheating while it is still in discussion with U.S. federal and state authorities.
New York state and Massachusetts announced lawsuits Tuesday. They allege that Volkswagen and its affiliates defrauded buyers by selling more than 40,000 vehicles in the two states that were equipped with software that concealed the true level of emissions in order to pass government tests.
Maryland’s attorney general is also expected to file suit.
VW says in a statement that the allegations are “essentially not new.” It says it has been addressing them in discussions with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board. The company says it hopes for a comprehensive national resolution of all remaining issues.
___
11:10 a.m.
A Volkswagen spokesman is declining to comment on lawsuits being brought by New York state and Massachusetts over diesel emissions cheating.
The lawsuits, announced Tuesday, allege that Volkswagen and its affiliates defrauded buyers by selling more than 40,000 vehicles that were equipped with software that concealed the true level of emissions in order to pass government tests.
The legal action seeks “substantial penalties” that would be based on a calculation of the duration of the alleged violations.
The lawsuits come after the German automaker agreed to spend up to $15.3 billion to settle other consumer and government claims. The attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts argue that did not resolve claims regarding violating state environmental laws and did not cover all the affected vehicles.
Maryland’s attorney general is also expected to file suit.
___
10:25 a.m.
New York state and Massachusetts are suing Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche over diesel emissions cheating.
The lawsuits, announced Tuesday, allege that Volkswagen and its affiliates defrauded buyers by selling more than 40,000 vehicles that were equipped with software that concealed the true level of emissions in order to pass government tests.
Further, the suit says the German automaker submitted false documents to the two states as part of an effort to conceal the cheating.
The legal action comes after the German automaker agreed to spend up to $15.3 billion to other settle consumer and government lawsuits
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says the lawsuits expose “a culture of deeply rooted arrogance” and should serve as a warning to other companies that illegality will not be tolerated.
A message left with Volkswagen was not immediately returned.