Dealers on this side of the Atlantic might be interested in Volkswagen’s diesel swapping initiative now underway in Europe.
In its home country of Germany, Volkswagen has launched a comprehensive diesel swapping program.
The program is essentially a vehicle scrappage scheme that is valid for owners and operators of vehicles that meet Euro-1 to Euro-4 diesel emissions limits who trade their cars for a modern Volkswagen.
The environmental incentive for new vehicles ranges between €1,500 and €8,000 ($2262 and $121,000) depending on the particular model.
Additionally, for vehicle owners and operators of any diesel vehicles that reside in one of 14 cities and districts classified by Germany’s government as the most heavily polluted—a premium on top of the diesel swapping program is also available.
This premium is paid on top of the residual value of the old vehicle when trading in a Euro-4 or Euro-5 diesel.
The exchange premium for new vehicles ranges from €500 to €7,000, ($754 to $10,560) depending on the model. In response to the diesel swapping initiative, Volkswagen AG Board Member for Sales, Jürgen Stackmann, said, “the environmental incentives and exchange premiums are powerful financial incentives for switching to the latest generation of cleaner vehicles. Volkswagen is thus making a further significant contribution to improving air quality and preventing possible driving bans in German cities.”
A statement from Volkswagen AG said that the diesel swapping incentive and exchange premium are available and valid from participating Volkswagen partners in Germany until further notice.