Fiat Chrysler to Stomp Out Diesel Across Its Lineup, Report Claims

The popular thing among automakers last year, besides the incessant preaching of “mobility,” was the pledging of allegiance to an electrified future. This year, it seems diesel fuel is the bogeyman all automakers must reject. We’ve already told you about Porsche’s abandonment of the blacklisted power source. Now, it’s Fiat Chrysler’s turn.

Though unconfirmed at this time, the Financial Times (subscription required) reports that FCA’s mid-term plan, due out this June, will announce the dropping of diesel across its lineup by 2022. If you’re currently wondering how you’ll tow a horse trailer using a battery, don’t get too upset just yet.

The report specifies FCA’s passenger car lineup, which — in Europe, at least — is a heavy user of compression ignition engines. Europeans, of course, are increasingly looking elsewhere for propulsion sources. Diesel registrations fell 8 percent last year, and governments across the land now spend their free time thinking of ways to rid the world of the fuel they once promoted and incentivized.

Keeping up with the latest European emissions standard isn’t cheap, and it seems FCA would rather not bother. Some 40.6 percent of FCA vehicles sold in that market last year contained a diesel engine. The phase-out reportedly covers the Fiat, Maserati, Jeep, and Alfa Romeo brands, sources claim, but fear not, American consumer.

FT claims commercial vehicles are expected to be exempt from the plan, along with U.S. products like Ram trucks, where the legendary Cummins turbodiesel inline-six is needed to do battle with General Motors and Ford. America’s emissions standards aren’t as volatile as Europe’s, and FCA isn’t about to kiss off a huge market in the interest of environmental stewardship.

As well, the light-duty 3.0-liter diesel V6, which briefly disappeared from the market after last year’s emissions brouhaha, is scheduled to appear in the Jeep Wrangler in 2019. That engine — now compliant with EPA regulations once again — also resides in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

A free fix for older Ram and Jeep EcoDiesel models should arrive this year.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]