Kartellverdacht: Das nächste Debakel der deutschen Automobilhersteller? (Sonstiges)

AdamSmith, ..., Samstag, 22.07.2017, 22:55 (vor 2470 Tagen) @ Erfolgsfan

Gravierender wirken die Absprachen mit Blick auf die Reinigung der Abgase von Dieselfahrzeugen. Man einigte sich auf eine Begrenzung des Volumens der AdBlue-Tanks, u. a. aus Platz- und Kostengründen.

Aus der öffentlich einsehbaren Anklageschrift gegen einen Audi-Motorenentwickler in den USA.

[Audi] realized they couldnot calibrate a diesel engine that would meet the stricter NOx emissions' standards that would become effective in 2007 within the design constraints imposed by other departments at the company.

[T]he proposed Audi 3.0 liter diesel engine employed Selective Catalytic Reduction ("SCR") technology to reduce NOx emissions. As part of the SCR technology, exhaust stream emissions were dosed with a mist of a urea substance, commonly known as "AdBlue," which converted NOx into nitrogen, water, and small amounts of carbon dioxide. The initial SCR design required a certain amount of AdBlue be stored onboard the vehicle to teduce NOx emissions to legal limits and reach a 10,000 mile service interval for refilling. The requisite tank size for onboard storage was believed by certain Audi employees to interfere with features considered to be attractive to customers, such as a high-end sound system.

[Audi] implemented a defeat device that they referred to as the "warmup function." During test cycles, this defeat device used the recirculation of exhaust gas to warm the SCR catalyst, thereby further optimizing AdBlue use and allowing the vehicle to stay within U.S. NOx emission limits~ However, when the defeat device detected that the vehicle was on the road, the engine switched to "customer mode," reducing the recirculation of exhaust gas, and causing NOx emissions to spike.