However, the company will make updates to existing ones.
Ever since Volkswagen’s dirty Dieselgate scandal exploded a few years ago, diesel has been a dirty word. Although this type of fuel, and in this instance, a type engine, may not be very popular in the United States (especially in the heavy-duty truck segment), it is huge in Europe. It was big until Wolfsburg-based automaker demonstrated how dirty a diesel engine can be.
A diesel engine produces less CO2 than a gasoline engine. The Euro 6D emission standards for the Old continent have almost equal NOx emissions – 0.06 grams per km for gasoline engines, and 0.08 grams/km for diesel engines. However, it may be too late for the diesel engine to be saved.
Many companies are moving away from the diesel engine and focusing their R&D on electrified powertrains. Renault is the latest to join Lexus and other companies.
The CEO of the French company, Luca de Meo has stated that it will no longer invest in new-generation diesel engines. The automaker’s top brass revealed that the existing dCi units would be modified to comply with stricter emission standards.
It remains to be determined if this means Renault’s diesels will no longer exist in the Euro 7 era. We won’t be surprised to see diesel Renaults disappear in 2025, given the fact that demand in Europe for hybrid and electric vehicles is higher than diesel.
Renault has already eliminated the diesel engine in a significant amount. Some models no longer have a compression ignition motor and many of the new models will lose the diesel options from their predecessors. Dacia, Renault’s budget brand has switched to a diesel free range for its latest generation in Europe.