VW Confident It Can Work a Deal With U.S. Lawmakers

Volkswagen remains chassis-deep in its emissions scandal where the automaker fitted its TDI engine with cheating devices to trick emission-testing equipment. Six months have passed since the scandal broke and there has been seemingly no progress in its negotiations with U.S. lawmakers. In a new report from Reuters, the troubled automaker is confident it will reach an agreement with lawmakers on a technical fix, vehicle buybacks, and fines.

This report comes straight from the man himself, VW CEO Matthias Mueller. Though Mueller couldn’t elaborate on the details surrounding the negotiation, he seems quite optimistic at the Geneva Auto Show. Mueller told Reuters “In the U.S. we are working intensely with the respective authorities ‎on a sustainable overall solution,” and that they “continue to be in constructive talks” with officials.

While the optimism is great, the brand still has a $46 billion lawsuit on its hands from the U.S. Department of Justice and millions to blow on vehicle buybacks or credits to customers here in the States. What’s more, on top of the fines, the automaker still has as uphill battle trying to regain buyer confidence, but Mueller seems convinced that buyers will return thanks to the brand’s “customer-relation programs.”

Another way the automaker is trying to overcome this issue is by working hard at developing and marketing its electric car offerings. For now, this only includes the 2016 e-Golf, but the range of electrified VWs should grow soon.

Speaking of Volkswagen’s development of alternative-fuel options, it has a great lease deal on the 2016 e-Golf that runs $169 per month for 36 months after a $2,349 initial payment. This electric-only model also has $500 in bonus cash available. If you need something with a little more pep in its step, there is also the 2016 GTI available on a 36-month lease at $269 per month with $1,999 due at signing.