Volkswagen has launched a scrappage scheme offering motorists thousands of pounds if they trade in an old diesel car for a new model.
The German manufacturer sparked outrage in September 2015 when it was found to have fitted software designed to cheat emissions tests to 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide, including almost 1.2 million in the UK.
Under its scrappage scheme, the owners of diesel vehicles with emissions standards lower than Euro 5 – introduced in 2009/10 – can receive a discount of up to £6,000 if they trade it in for a new VW model.
The latest petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars are included in the scheme.
The latest petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars are included in the scheme (PA)
Drivers who want to buy a new Volkswagen Golf – the third most popular car in the UK this year – can save £4,000.
Customers must have owned the trade-in vehicle for at least six months, and order the new car by December 31.
A number of manufacturers have previously announced similar incentives for trading in older, more polluting vehicles, including Ford, Vauxhall, BMW and Toyota.
Air pollution causes an estimated 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK and is linked to a number of health problems including childhood illnesses, heart disease and dementia.
Greenpeace UK clean air campaigner Anna Jones said: “Car makers have already proved they aren’t trustworthy so to ensure the industry really does come clean Government should be taking charge of a scrappage scheme and forcing car makers to contribute.
“Ministers have every reason to make them pay for cleaning up the mess they created.”
Volkswagen has stated that it aims to be the “global leader” in electric vehicles by 2025.
Alison Jones, director of Volkswagen UK, said: “With this new scrappage upgrade scheme, there’s never been a better time to step up from an older diesel into one of our new, lower emission range of Volkswagens.”