大衆擬用催化轉化器修復受影響汽車
Volkswagen has devised a new catalytic converter that could fix the majority of the cars in the US affected by the diesel emissions scandal, as details emerge of its attempts to satisfy regulators.
大衆汽車(Volkswagen)設計出一種新的催化轉化器，可以用來修復在其美國銷售的、受柴油排放造假醜聞影響的大部分汽車。
The German carmaker is trying to find a way to repair almost 600,000 cars in the US affected by so-called defeat devices, which VW admitted installing to dupe test laboratories into thinking its vehicles emitted fewer pollutants. The cheat software affects more than 11m cars worldwide.
這家德國車企正想方設法修復近60萬輛在美銷售的、受所謂“減效裝置”(defeat device)影響的汽車。大衆承認，安裝這種裝置是爲了欺騙檢測實驗室，讓其認爲大衆的汽車排放的污染物更少。全球各地受這一欺騙性軟件影響的車輛超過1100萬輛。
But while VW has been granted approval in Europe to carry out software patches and cheap hardware fixes for 8.5m cars, it has yet to find an acceptable solution in the US.
但是，儘管大衆在歐洲獲准爲850萬輛汽車的軟件打補丁並展開成本不高的硬件修理，可它在美國尚未找到可被當局接受的解決方案。
One of the remedies under discussion includes a catalytic converter that would make some 430,000 diesel models compliant with US clean air rules, said a person familiar with the matter.
知情人士表示，討論當中的補救措施之一包括一種催化轉化器，它將使大約43萬輛柴油車符合美國的清潔空氣規定。
The new hardware would also require a software update. The Environmental Protection Agency, which has set VW a deadline of this week, has yet to approve the solution.
這種新硬件也將需要進行軟件升級。美國國家環保局(EPA)尚未批准這一解決方案。該局把本週定爲大衆拿出解決方案的截止日期。
The US has much tougher rules on the polluting nitrogen oxides produced by diesel engines than in Europe, making it harder for VW to bring its American fleet into compliance.
在管理柴油發動機產生的污染性氮氧化物方面，美國的規定比歐洲嚴格得多，這加大了大衆在美銷售的汽車合規的難度。
Part of VW’s solutions for its US cars may involve installing tanks of urea, a chemical that helps break down Nox. Michael Horn, head of VW North America, told Congress last year that the 430,000 affected vehicles in the US fitted with a “lean Nox trap” system — which does not use urea — would require the fitting of a urea tank, as well as software modifications. The remaining vehicles all already contain urea tanks and should be easier to fix.
大衆爲其在美銷售的汽車提供的部分解決方案，或許包括安裝尿素罐。尿素是一種幫助分解氮氧化物的化學物質。大衆北美負責人邁克爾霍恩(Michael Horn)去年對美國國會表示，美國43萬輛受影響的裝有稀燃氮氧化物捕集器(lean Nox trap)系統——該系統不使用尿素——的車輛，將需要安裝一個尿素罐，並進行軟件修改。其餘車輛已裝有尿素罐，應當更容易修復。
The company declined to comment on the catalytic converter proposal, saying: “We’ve discussed several ideas with the authorities. During last week and for the following week we’ll have discussions with the authorities about the next steps [and] we hope to come closer to an agreement with them.”
大衆拒絕就催化轉換器方案置評。該公司表示：“我們已與當局討論了幾種思路。在上一週以及接下來的一週，我們將與當局討論下一步措施，希望能更接近於與他們達成一項協議。”
