Volkswagen is a company that espouses the benefits of its clean-diesel technology and boasts about its new Passat sedan being able to reach 43 mpg on the highway—all without having to use expensive hybrid technology. It makes one wonder why the German automaker is protesting a law that will mandate an increase from 35.5 mpg in 2016 to 54.5 mpg by 2025 across the industry; after all, it’s already halfway there on some of its cars. “It’s not about VW’s ability to make cars that can do it,” company spokesperson Tony Cervone told Automotive.com. “It’s about the laws themselves. “VW is in favor of national standards, reducing consumption, and reducing greenhouse gases,” Cervone continued. “But it puts a huge disproportionate burden on us to meet the requirements.”
