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Volkswagen receives ‘Dieselgate’ lawsuit in Germany amid new EV plant announcements
Auto titan Volkswagen is facing a class-action lawsuit from German customers who purchased diesel vehicles equipped with emissions-cheating defeat devices. The new suit was made possible by a new legislation that took effect on November 1, which was expedited to beat a year-end statute of limitations for claims against Volkswagen.
Justice Minister Katarina Barley noted that an estimated two million Volkswagen owners could benefit from the new law. While the initial complaint against the German automaker is starting with just ten disgruntled Volkswagen drivers, the case, if deemed admissible by a judge, would be opened to other owners who wish to take part in the lawsuit as well. Thus, anyone who purchased a Volkswagen vehicle or one of the group’s Audi, Skoda, or Seat brands that are equipped with a diesel EA 189 engine from November 2008, would likely be qualified to file claims against the company.
Lawyer Ralf Stoll, part of the legal team coordinating the suit, called the case a legal “milestone,” while stating that “several tens of thousands” of VW owners could join the lawsuit, particularly since taking part in the complaint is free of charge. In a statement to the DPA News Agency, Klaus Müller of Germany’s VZBV consumer federation noted that November 1 would be a day that Volkswagen would remember.
“Volkswagen will remember this day as the moment the kid gloves of the politicians were replaced by the boxing gloves of consumer advocates,” he said.
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- Drone flies closely over the thousands of VW Diesel vehicles being stored at the Rivian Factory. [Photo: Jim Finch]
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- Thousands of VW Diesels being Stored at Rivian Factory. [Credit: Jim Finch/Teslarati]
Thousands of VW Diesels being Stored at Rivian Factory. [Credit: Jim Finch/Teslarati]
Christian Saefken, who purchased his Skoda Oktavia without knowing that his vehicle was equipped with an emissions testing cheat device, is among the owners who might join the lawsuit if it does go through.
“They have played us for fools. I wish they had been more honest from the start,” he said.
Volkswagen’s high-profile dieselgate scandal has resulted in steep penalties for the legacy carmaker. Since admitting that it knowingly cheated emissions tests, Volkswagen had paid out more than $31.9 billion in dieselgate costs, a portion of which went to around half a million US drivers who were offered buybacks and up to $10,000 in compensation.
In Germany, the legacy carmaker has paid authorities $2 billion in fines, though customers have only been offered software upgrades. Despite this, Volkswagen appears to be preparing to fight the upcoming class-action lawsuit, stating that the complaints have “no legal basis” since the company had already complied with all recall requirements.
“All the cars are technically sound and roadworthy,” a statement from the company noted.
Volkswagen’s new legal battle against diesel car owners comes amidst the company’s announcements for new electric car plants in Germany. According to a EuroNews report, the legacy carmaker is considering converting its plants in Emden and Hannover, Germany into pure-EV facilities. The German publication noted that the plans would be discussed in an upcoming strategy review on November 16.
Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess recently expressed the company’s commitment to becoming a competitive player in the electric car market. The CEO even laid the gauntlet on first movers like Tesla, stating that by 2020, Volkswagen would be offering electric vehicles that match Tesla’s electric cars for half the price.
“We are coming on very strong now. We have invested 30 billion euros ($33.9 billion) in electromobility, we have already rededicated a plant in Zwickau, and we are building an electric vehicle plant in Shanghai. Truly highly attractive vehicles will begin arriving from Volkswagen as early as 2019. We will come in 2020 with vehicles that can do anything like Tesla and are cheaper by half,” he said.
The Tesla Semi was spotted mounted with ground truth validation equipment as the company nears its looming launch. The Semi is Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, and has been utilized in its earlier stages by many companies like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, who have been using it in a pilot program.
The Semi was spotted in Sunnyvale, California, and sports a typical ground truth validation unit that Tesla routinely uses on its vehicles. Ground truth validation is essentially the process of training supervised algorithms to ensure they can perform reliably. Tesla typically performs this on vehicles that are being released soon:
Spotted the new semi adorned with ground truthing equipment. Haven’t seen anyone post this so figured I’d share.
The future is autonomous!!@SawyerMerritt @wholemars pic.twitter.com/qkPDHPUQZ6
— Danny (@dannywinner1) June 21, 2026
The Semi being spotted with this type of validation rig is important because it means the company is working on solidifying a Full Self-Driving model for its commercial vehicle offering. This would be a massive development for not only Tesla but also the logistics industry as a whole.
There are strict regulations on driving hours for commercial truck drivers, and autonomy is a way to potentially combat these issues. FSD is already a widely effective way that owners of typical passenger vehicles take stress out of travel. Even launching a semi-autonomous platform for truck drivers to use to increase safety, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity would be a huge development.
Tesla Semi gets strange-but-understandable comparison from Jay Leno
The Semi has already proven to be an ideal solution for companies that use commercial logistics. It has increased efficiency and reduced operating costs for many companies that have been able to use it in pilot programs.
There are expected to be some bumps along the way. Tesla saw some challenges with FSD on the Cybertruck, as it had never had a vehicle with cameras at that height, so some of the features with FSD were not immediately available. Just a week ago, Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon (ASS) for Cybertruck, nearly three years after the vehicle was first delivered to customers.
President Donald Trump unveiled an upgraded Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, describing the Qatar-gifted aircraft as an interim Air Force One equipped with advanced communications systems, including Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.
The plane, valued at around $400 million and modified for presidential use, serves as a bridge until the delayed VC-25B replacements arrive. Trump highlighted its luxury features and new technology during remarks to service members.
Trump stated:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before. It’s the highest level and, uh, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy, but, uh, Starlink and we have, uh, four or five different sets of double and triple communications like people haven’t seen.”
He added:
“And it represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines because we did this quickly and yet there’s never been communication like is on this plane.”
🚨 President Trump confirmed today that the new Air Force One is equipped with Starlink:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before, it’s the highest level and including Starlink…my friend Elon is going to be very happy.” pic.twitter.com/IhkDmtr5hL
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 20, 2026
The aircraft features a redesigned red, white, and blue livery and has been outfitted with Starlink satellite connectivity alongside other secure systems.
Trump praised the plane’s uniqueness, calling it among the world’s most luxurious. The gift from Qatar and subsequent modifications have drawn attention, with the jet positioned as a solution for presidential travel. It is expected to support operations, including potential ceremonial roles such as Fourth of July flyovers.
The event marked the formal introduction of the converted jet, which will help maintain capabilities while the primary Air Force One fleet undergoes modernization. Defense observers note the inclusion of commercial satellite technology like Starlink as part of efforts to ensure resilient communications, crucial to keep the country running as the President is in the sky.
President Trump’s comments underscored appreciation for rapid upgrades and innovation in equipping the aircraft. The plane remains a U.S. government asset and is slated for eventual transfer related to presidential library purposes after its service.
Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.
The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.
Today, things were a bit different.
Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.
Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:
Tesla Cybercabs are now getting “Cybercab” logos on the side of them!
Tesla did the same with Model Ys that were given “Robotaxi” logos: https://t.co/DanANtw1m7 pic.twitter.com/FqOhH0S9Ks
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 19, 2026
Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.
The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.
Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more
The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.
It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:
Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality
We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.
Tesla Semi spotted with ground truth validation equipment as launch looms
President Trump touts new Air Force One with Musk technology
