In June, Volkswagen reached a near $15-billion settlement with authorities and Volkswagen diesel owners. (Earlier post.) The class settlement creates a funding pool of up to $10.033 billion for affected consumers; companion settlements with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (ARB) call for an additional $4.7 billion for environmental impact. (California’s share represents one-quarter of the total national mitigation funding of $4.7 billion dollars.)

“Volkswagen has been much more forthcoming and prompt in responding to questions and getting us documents and information when we need them,” Mary Nichols told Handelsblatt.

Although the ARB has yet to approve fixes for the affected diesels, Nichols explained to Handelsblatt that:

The answer is not yet final because we are still in the process of working with the company. But discussions have been going well.

Ms. Nichols said Volkswagen’s commitment “will help ensure that we are paving the way for a future in which we have a much larger electric vehicle fleet.”