Cummins: we don’t supply engines named in the EPA Notice of Violation to Fiat Chrysler
13 January 2017
On Thursday, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (ARB) charged Fiat Chrysler with using at least 8 undisclosed auxiliary emissions control devices (AECDs) in light-duty model year 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks with 3.0-liter diesel engines sold in the US (earlier post). Shortly afterward, Cummins stated it does not supply engines for the FCA vehicles that are discussed in the Notice of Violation issued today, nor was Cummins named.
Cummins said that it does not use defeat devices and is committed to meeting emissions standards. Cummins has a history of working transparently and collaboratively with regulators to develop and meet emissions requirements.
Separately, Reuters reported that an angry Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler, rejected the charges of violating the Clean Air Act during a media conference call, and said that there was no wrongdoing and the company never attempted to create software to cheat emissions rules by detecting when the vehicle was in test mode.
He characterized the dispute as whether the automaker had completely disclosed software that protects the engine, adding the company was planning updated software to address EPA concerns. He said the EPA and the company could have settled the issue in “a more efficient way” without the EPA announcement, and he said “I’m really pissed off” about reports that equate FCA’s issues with VW’s.
He also suggested regulators had a “belligerent” view of automakers. “We don’t belong to a class of criminals,” he said. “We’re not trying to break the bloody law.”
—Reuters report
Of course not. The EcoDiesel is supplied by VM Motori.
Posted by: Brent Jatko | 13 January 2017 at 06:40 AM
“We don’t belong to a class of criminals,” he said. “We’re not trying to break the bloody law.”
Perhaps Marchionne should have a chat with his attorneys. Failing to identify 8 different AECDs at time of U.S. Certification is a violation of the Clean Air Act, regardless of whether or not these are eventually determined to be defeat devices by EPA and/or CARB.
As for auto executives belonging to a class of criminals, a VW executive is currently cooling his heals in a holding cell after having the hubris of vacationing in Florida and 5 others have been indicted. I guess judgement should be reserved until after the upcoming plea bargains and criminal trials in the U.S. and in Europe.
Posted by: GreenGopher | 17 January 2017 at 12:40 PM