No more filthy VW diesels in USA

Since news broke that Volkswagen's diesel engines used cheating software to dodge emissions requirements, the automaker has been unable to sell diesel vehicles in the States. The company is still confident it can settle the scandal by the end of this year, but even if it can, the consequences will still be costly. It also looks increasingly like the automaker will never offer diesels in the U.S. again.

Reuters reports that a court filing by VW dealers shows that no diesel vehicles will be sold here for the 2016 or 2017 model years. The automaker is also uncertain when diesel sales will begin again, if ever.

What looks more likely is that Volkswagen will attempt to recast itself as an innovator of electric vehicles. Part of its agreement with the U.S. Justice Department requires the automaker to spend $2 billion over the next decade funding electric vehicle charging infrastructure and zero-emission ride-sharing services, ostensibly to offset the environmental damage caused by cheating TDI vehicles.

As part of the new electrification push, Volkswagen showed off an all-electric prototype called the I.D. Concept at the Paris Motor Show. The automaker hinted that such a futuristic electric vehicle could have the same impact in the 21st century that the original air-cooled Beetle had in the 20th. If it can actually produce an electric car with 370 miles of range, U.S. customers might not actually miss Volkswagen's diesel cars.

via Jalopnik