BMW Will End Diesel Sales in the United States after 2018MY [UPDATE]

BMW’s formula: PHEVs instead of diesels.

BMW joins Toyota, Honda, and others in abandoning diesel technology. The Bavarians will not completely eliminate its diesel powertrains, but they will discontinue them in the United States. A spokesman for the company confirmed this to The Car Connection. The automaker will instead focus on plug-in hybrid electric cars.

The new X5 is the first to be affected by BMW’s decision. It won’t receive a diesel engine here. In 18 months, the SUV from South Carolina will get a PHEV version that offers up to 50 miles (80 km) of electric range and full batteries.

It was thought that BMW would bring the diesel version its next-generation 3 Series to America 16 months ago. The 2.0-liter compression ignition unit was expected to produce 190 horsepower (140 kilowatts), and 295 pound-feet (405 Newton-meters). However, it seems that the company has changed its mind.

The 2019X5 xDrive45e previews BMW’s hybrid ambitions for future. It combines an inline-six 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor producing 110 horsepower (82kW). The peak power of the combined engine is 389 horsepower (290 kW), with a huge 443 pound-feet (603 Newton-meters) torque.

BMW continues to support diesel engines outside the United States. Every Bimmer in Europe is equipped with a diesel engine. Some of the most well-known SUVs as well as wagons, have higher diesel sales than hybrids or gasoline models. Alpina BMW’s performance tuning company believes that diesel-powered cars still have a future.