Volkswagen finds 800,000 more cars part of emissions-cheating scandal

HANOVER, Germany – Emissions irregularities have been found in an additional 800,000 Volkswagen cars, representing an economic risk to Europe’s biggest carmaker of about $2.2 billion, the German company said Tuesday.

The scandal, which broke in September, had already affected 11 million cars with diesel engines that were installed with software that showed lower-than-actual emissions of nitrogen oxide.

The problems announced Tuesday for the first time concern petrol-run engines and the incorrect measurement of carbon dioxide output.

The latest revelations in the scandal came a day after U.S. environmental officials charged that the cheating scheme included more cars with larger engines than previously thought.

Before Tuesday, Volkswagen had set aside billions of dollars to cover the costs of the scandal and had reported its first quarterly loss in more than 20 years.

The problems revealed Tuesday were uncovered during an internal investigation, said the carmaker, based in the northern city of Wolfsburg.

Most of the 800,000 cars have diesel motors. Those that are affected are Volkswagen Polos, Golfs and Passats, Audi A1 and A3 models, Skoda Octavias, and Seat Leons and Ibizas, a Volkswagen spokesman said.

But petrol-run engines with cylinder cut-offs are also affected albeit a small number, he said.

The scandal cost chief executive Martin Winterkorn his job. His successor, Matthias Mueller, promised a “relentless and thorough” investigation.

“This is a painful process, but for us, there is no alternative,” he said after the latest revelations. “The only thing that counts for us is the truth. That is what is required for the fundamental realignment that Volkswagen needs.”

He spoke after Volkswagen’s stock fell 1.5 percent Tuesday over the accusations by U.S. environmental authorities.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that VW’s efforts to mislead regulators extended to 3-liter diesel engines equipped with the exhaust-cheating software.

The EPA’s earlier allegations focused on certain models of a 2-liter engine.

The EPA said the new suspected defeat device was installed in certain VW, Audi and Porsche light-duty 3-liter diesel vehicles for model years 2014 through 2016. The EPA alleged it allowed the engines to seem as if they were in compliance with clean air standards when, in reality, they could produce nitrogen oxide emissions up to nine times EPA standards.

The carmaker denied the new allegations and pledged to cooperate with the EPA.