Volkswagen’s car-charging plans curbed

Scandal-hit carmaker Volkswagen’s spending plan for clean-vehicle infrastructure — charging stations for electric cars — in the US has shortcomings, regulators have claimed.

The German company has agreed to spend $800 million (£621 million) in California, part of $2 billion in the US over the next decade, as it looks to atone for diesel-emissions cheating.

VW’s new Electrify America division will manage investments in zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, with plans to install more than 500 charging stations in the US.

But the firm’s plans for the first $200 million have been queried by the California Air Resources Board (Carb).

It has asked VW to explain how it would meet a requirement to spend funds in disadvantaged communities, including installing electric vehicle charging stations.

It also sought for details on plans for hydrogen vehicles.

The remarks come amid concerns the plan could give VW a competitive advantage on other vehicle and charging-station makers, and ignore poorer communities where states want to promote clean cars. VW did not respond to requests for comment.