The Sprinter will continue to be the only diesel-powered Merc that is available to U.S. customers.
Let’s face facts: Diesel engines are not very popular in the United States. We should clarify this by saying that diesel-powered cars are not popular. Pickup truck enthusiasts love their diesels so much that Ford and Chevrolet now offer diesel options for half-ton trucks. Chevy offers a diesel engine in its mid-sized Colorado and Jeep is soon going to include an oil burner into its new Jeep.
MercedesBenz will not be selling any diesel options in the United States, except for its Sprintervan. Ola Kallenius is the head of research and development for Mercedes cars. She said that there’s not enough demand in the U.S. for the extra effort.
“The diesel is not a good fit for our portfolio in the U.S.” said he, speaking to Detroit Bureau at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. It emits less in Europe than it does in the United States.
We believe Kallenius is referring to the European emission standards, which are more focused on carbon emissions than nitrogen oxide and particulate matters. The USA has stricter regulations. Kallenius admits that diesel-powered Mercs had only 3 percent of the total sales in their best year.
The Dieselgate scandal didn’t help the cause. Automakers had to be scrutinized for diesel engines after Volkswagen admitted cheating on emissions. Mercedes stopped trying to get certification in May for 2017 model-year diesels. This was due to increased effort. The hold seems to be permanent now.
Kallenius states that the Sprinter is in high demand and will continue to offer a diesel engine. Electric versions are in development.