Four former Volkswagen executives received prison sentences totaling 17 years for their roles in the 2015 emissions-cheating scandal. Jens Hadler, head of diesel engine development, received the longest sentence of four and a half years for orchestrating the fraud. The scandal drastically reduced diesel car sales in Europe (from over 50% to 10% of new car sales) and accelerated the continent's shift towards electric vehicles. Volkswagen is now Europe's leading EV manufacturer.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.