Elon Musk joins call to give VW break on diesels

Chris Woodyard | USA TODAY

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is among the signers of a letter to California clean-air regulators asking that they give Volkswagen a break when it comes to having to fix its polluting diesel cars -- in return for a huge commitment to a zero-emission future.

The open letter to Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, proposes that VW be released from "its obligation to fix diesel cars already on the road in California, which represent an insignificant portion of total vehicle emissions in the state" and present no health risk to their owners.

Instead, VW would have to "accelerate greatly its rollout of zero-emission vehicles," resulting in a "10 for 1 or greater reduction in pollutant emissions as compared to the pollution associated with the diesel fleet cheating."

Volkswagen has admitted to rigging 482,000 VW and Audi cars in the U.S. with 2-liter diesel engines to beat smog tests. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency and California regulators found problems in vehicles with 3-liter engines as well.

Besides Musk, whose company is the best known maker of luxury electric cars, the letter is signed by 45 leaders in "green" businesses and environmental groups or causes.

Musk "had no role in originating the letter or writing it, but was asked to endorse it a few days before submission and it seemed like a good idea," said Tesla spokesman Ricardo Reyes.