Fiat Chrysler has become the latest automaker to turn its back on diesel-powered engines as more of the industry pivots to battery-electric vehicles. According to the Financial Times, the Italian-American carmaker will end production of its diesel passenger vehicles by 2022.
FCA, which manufacturers Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Fiat, will unveil its four-year plan to phase out diesel vehicles on June 1st, the Times says. A spokesperson declined to comment.
Diesel has been falling out of favor
Diesel has long been promoted by governments and carmakers as a way to reduce CO2 emissions. But the fuel source has been falling out of favor since it was discovered that Volkswagen installed emissions-test cheating software in 11 million of its diesel vehicles.
Other automakers, FCA included, have been accused of manufacturing cars that don’t comply with clean air rules. FCA recently reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice to settle its emissions cheating lawsuit. As part of the deal, the automaker will recall 104,000 vehicles and pay a substantial but unspecified civil penalty.
Other automakers are dropping diesel, too. Porsche has said it will stop the production of cars with diesel engines, and Toyota is trending away from the scandal-tainted fuel source as well.
Meanwhile, many automakers are pivoting to electric vehicles, including FCA. CEO Sergio Marchionne has said he expects most vehicles made by 2025 to either be fully electric or hybrid.
“By 2025 more than half of the power units you see on the road will have some relevance of electrification,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg. “There may be a base combustion engine, but it is combustion and electrification that will make the machine run. Electrification will happen not necessarily as full battery‑electric vehicles but in combination with other forms of power. It’s going to be a very interesting time.”