Is this our future?

[Bruce Beard]

Found this article this morning. Are we looking at the end of our diesel trucks? The article does include RAM in the list.
I’ve had a premonition that diesel would be heading out of our lives. It is one of the reasons I purchased my RAM when I did.
Bruce

https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/26/fiat-chrysler-phasing-out-diesel-passenger-cars-2022/

 

[NIsaacs]

I don't think so, the Cummins is too popular. If they quit the Cummins they might as well quit the heavy duty pickups.

Nick

 

[Deleted member 995608]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43211946

Excerpt:

"German cities will be allowed to ban older diesel vehicles from some areas following a landmark court ruling."

 

[KCJackson1]

The key phrase is this:
"... diesel as a fuel source in its passenger cars by 2022"
Rams are not passenger cars - they are considered commercial vehicles in the overall product scheme. The Cummins is not going anywhere.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"If they quit the Cummins they might as well quit the heavy duty pickups."

Completely agree!

 

[GBBrown]

Well then maybe Cummins will wind up in a GM product behind an Allision..best of both worlds...

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Well then maybe Cummins will wind up in a GM product behind an Allision..best of both worlds...

The GM kills that idea

 

[Newsa]

I noticed a drop in diesel prices for about a year or 2 when diesel became as cheap as regular gas at many stations. It occurred after the VW emissions scandal. Maybe there was a causal effect maybe not. I suspected lower demand or predictions of lower demand would have been the cause of the price drop.

I am concerned that even fewer diesel vehicles may cause some areas not to offer diesel?

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I noticed a drop in diesel prices for about a year or 2 when diesel became as cheap as regular gas at many stations. It occurred after the VW emissions scandal. Maybe there was a causal effect maybe not. I suspected lower demand or predictions of lower demand would have been the cause of the price drop.

I am concerned that even fewer diesel vehicles may cause some areas not to offer diesel?

For those of us who having been driving diesel for many years, that won't be an issue. I still have the mindset to fill up when ever I can when I'm going to unknown places for the fear of not being able to find it, much like it was when diesel wasn't cool.

 

[XJman]

This is targeted at the "clean" or "eco" diesel vehicles. Not at the light medium duty truck market.

We will likely see a short term end to the bajillion foot lbs of torque wars however it's not economical for anyone nor really environmentally friendly to kill the diesel pickup at this point.

 

[jacknife]

Cummins spends more money on R and D then any other engine builder out there. The amount of money that is expended to get Diesel engines compliant for small cars relative to how much profit can be made on each car is obviously not enough. Light and medium duty trucks are a different animal . People that buy them usually have a need beyond commuting issues and will spend the money to get what they need.

 

[Wayne M.]

It’s interesting that we no longer hear about the Paris accord, environmental agreement, since President Trump blew it out of the water and told them it was bad for the US. These articles reek of that tone.
I wish member Ozymiandis could comment. He’s our man on the ground in Europe.

 

[XJman]

There is still a lot going on with the Paris climate agreement. The media is just feeding you information that they can sell you. Don't mistake that.

 

[Wayne M.]

There is still a lot going on with the Paris climate agreement. The media is just feeding you information that they can sell you. Don't mistake that.

Sure the school shootings are a dog whistle to distract from that and Clinton horse dung, right?

 

[XJman]

I mean what do you want boss? It's signed the big interesting news is over.

There isn't anything left to really report on that can interest people enough to sell ad space and time. The next big change will be in 2020 or 2021 when the us can begin making a withdraw from it. Then you'll see it blow up until everyone is bored with it and not watching and nothing.

 

[Wayne M.]

This whole thread is based on concerns of what’s happening abroad. First thing we need to realize, and it’s tough medicine (for me anyway) is that FCA is not an American car company, and that FCA does have many diesel powered passenger cars available for Europe that’s not available in the US.
It’s apparent to me that Europe, and Germany is referenced, is moving ahead with an aggressive green policy that I think would be influenced by the Paris accord.
Here in the US, were seeing more Diesel power it seems. GM just pounded their chest that they have the widest variety of Diesels available here, with the intro of their 3 liter inline 6 for the Silverado. To me, that seems against the Paris grain. It probably wouldn’t be happening if Trump didn’t put his foot down at the UN a short while ago. Thank God he told them it was a bad deal. It is, for gear heads.

 

[XJman]

It's nice to think that one guy in a matter of hours made a difference to a companies entire long term plans allowing them to design and test an engine in months but that isn't the reality.

It's been in the works for a while. Long before Trump was a pipe dream and before any idea that we would be out of the Paris agreement.

 

[JR]

It's been in the works for a while. Long before Trump was a pipe dream and before any idea that we would be out of the Paris agreement.

Curious who you think would have withdrawn us from the Paris Agreement if Trump were not elected.

 

[XJman]

Curious who you think would have withdrawn us from the Paris Agreement if Trump were not elected.

The diesel engines and new vehicle production were in process long before Trump.

 

[JR]

The diesel engines and new vehicle production were in process long before Trump.

I agree with that statement, design, development, testing all take time. Then you have the whole aspect of manufacturing which has an entire laundry list of logistics way above my pay grade. Which makes me think this rumor of no more diesel (if true) is a result of the direction we were headed under Obama and most certainly under HC if she were elected.
I'd personally be surprised if FCA axed diesels, the leg work has been put in the tech is much improved. And gas engines as we know them are quickly approaching the ceiling in terms of efficiency. I believe there is more to be rung out of diesel yet. Hopefully they stick around.