UPDATE: VW Approved to Sell Repaired Diesels in U.S.

Volkswagen AG has been cleared to sell its U.S. inventory of 2015 models powered by 4-cylinder diesels. The cars had previously been banned because VW illegally rigged their engines to evade emission standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency certified the cars and says dealers may sell them as soon as they revise the engine’s emission control software. The cars also must undergo a second round of repairs next year that comprise another software upgrade and the installation of two new catalytic converters and a soot filter.

EPA approved the two-stage fix for the cars in January. Affected 2015 models are the Audi A3 small sedan along with VW brand Golf hatchbacks and wagons, Jetta and Passat midsize sedans and Beetle coupes.

The ruling applies to 67,000 vehicles, only 12,000 of which currently are in dealer inventories. VW has repurchased others from owners and could repair and resell those too.

The remaining cars are in the possession of their owners, who elected to keep them and receive restitution payments from VW. Those cars are eligible to have their cars updated with the EPA-approved repairs at no cost to the owners.

VW said previously it won’t offer new diesel-powered models in the U.S. until at least the 2018 model year. But the company, which has shifted its “green” focus to hybrid and electric powertrains, could drop the engines permanently in the American market.