Volkswagen to Buy Back Diesel Vehicles
Volkswagen AG has agreed to pay up to $15.3 billion in a settlement with regulators that requires the German automaker to buy back vehicles at pre-scandal prices and set aside funding for cleaner technologies.

Photo of 2015 Golf TDI engine courtesy of VW.

Photo of 2015 Golf TDI engine courtesy of VW.
Volkswagen AG has agreed to pay up to $15.3 billion in a settlement with regulators that requires the German automaker to buy back vehicles at pre-scandal prices and set aside funding for cleaner technologies.
The deal was announced June 28 by the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and California regulators. Volkswagen has also agreed to settle private claims under a civil action brought by plaintiffs, according to a release.
The settlement covers its 2.0L TDI engines in approximately 475,000 vehicles, including 460,000 VW vehicles and 15,000 Audi vehicles.
Volkswagen has set aside $10.033 billion for the buybacks and lease terminations. In addition, the automaker will set up a $2.7 billion environmental remediation fund and invest $2 billion in initiatives to promote the use of zero-emissions vehicles.
The company has also agreed to spend $603 million to settle state consumer protection claims in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
The agreements are subject to the approval of federal district court Judge Charles Breyer.
Read the company's full release here.
More Operations

Fleet Has a Talent Pipeline Problem. What Comes Next? | AF News Recap
Where will fleet’s next generation of leaders come from? This week, we’re looking at the industry’s talent pipeline, what certification can add to a fleet career, how to build an award-worthy track record, and the return of Automotive Fleet’s Personal Use Survey.
Read More →
Smith System Launches Driver Risk Management Program
Fleets have more driver data than ever, but identifying risky behavior doesn't necessarily correct it. Smith System's new Driver Risk Management program combines monitoring, training, and follow-up coaching to help fleets connect risk signals with driver intervention.
Read More →
Automotive Fleet Opens 2026 Personal Use Survey for Commercial Fleet Managers
Less than two weeks left! Commercial and corporate fleet managers are invited to share how their organizations handle company vehicle personal-use policies, charges, and driver eligibility.
Read More →
From AI Prompts to AI-Generated Safety Songs | AF News Recap
Can better prompts make AI more useful for fleet managers? This week, we’re breaking down smarter fleet analysis, an AI-assisted experiment that turned safety training into music, and what happened to fuel prices in August.
Read More →
How to Write Better AI Prompts for Fleet Analysis
Include these six elements in your fleet prompts to generate more relevant analysis and accurate answers.
Read More →
Fleet Meets: Eric Kilgore
This edition of the Fleet Meets series features one of the industry's best leaders driving multi-market and national operations.
Read More →
Why Reactive Fleet Management Is Becoming Too Expensive to Sustain
Research highlights a growing need for proactive management strategies to address rising costs in fleet operations effectively.
Read More →
What Your Fleet KPIs Aren’t Telling You
Tracking fleet metrics is only useful when the data leads to better decisions. This guide helps fleet leaders assess cost, utilization, and downtime more accurately, identify performance gaps, and prioritize the actions that can improve operational results.
Read More →
Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks
Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness
Read More →
Turning Fleet Payment Data into Executive Insights
Does data alone drive results in operations?
Read More →