Where are the light-duty diesels ?

[kscarbel2]

Light-Duty Diesel Engines Slow to Return to Showrooms in Wake of Emissions Scandal

Edmunds  /  October 26, 2016

A federal judge may have approved a $14.7 billion court settlement relating to the Volkswagen diesel-emissions cheating scandal, but that doesn't signify that sales of light-duty diesel cars and SUVs are poised to return to pre-crisis levels. 

On the eve of the settlement, Automotive News pointed out that Jaguar is the only brand with 2017 diesel engines certified and ready to sell. A quick check of inventory on Edmunds.com confirmed that diesel-powered 2017 Jaguar XE and XF sedans are indeed ready and waiting for buyers.

But that's it.

Audi and Porsche have deep corporate ties to Volkswagen, so it's no surprise that their diesel offerings are in deep limbo. But that doesn't explain the absence of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel or BMW's 3 Series, X3 and X5 diesels. Detailed 2017 pricing has been published, but they are not for sale and diesel fuel economy data is conspicuously absent from fueleconomy.gov.

The picture is even murkier for the Range Rover diesel and the Mercedes GLE and E-Class diesels, none of which appear in 2017 order guides. The same is true of the Chevrolet Cruze and the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon diesels.

The issue swirls around emissions approval. Diesel engines emit much more oxides of nitrogen (NOx) than gasoline ones, and the demanding emissions regulations in the U.S. cut light-duty diesels no slack. A secondary exhaust catalyst and a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injection system are necessary to take care of the extra NOx.

Volkswagen decided it could literally drive around the requirement by burying cheat codes in its diesel engine control software. The test patterns used in lab testing are very strictly defined, and that made it possible for someone to craft software that would only turn on the NOx control system when someone dressed in a lab coat was looking.

No one expected such a brazen tactic from a major auto manufacturer, and the EPA knows it can't let this happen again. According to Automotive News, "EPA officials have said little publicly about the enhanced testing, saying only that vehicles would be kept longer and tested in unpredictable ways."

At a minimum, the EPA is running its own dyno tests and subjecting manufacturer-reported results to greater scrutiny. And it's likely officials are strapping Portable Emissions Measuring (PEM) devices to test vehicles and driving them on actual roads to ensure the lab tests match. All of this (and surely more) is slowing down the certification of 2017 light-duty diesel cars, pickups and SUVs.

This seems like a temporary setback, at least technically. But the resilience of customer demand is harder to judge. Light-duty diesels still have a place in the market — particularly the light-pickup and SUV segments that value torque and towing. But those who bought a diesel-powered car for fuel economy alone will likely be tempted by hybrid offerings instead. And since the biggest player may not soon re-enter the segment, it's likely that the peak days of the diesel sedan are behind us.

[kscarbel2]

EPA scrutiny bogs down new diesels

Automotive News  /  October 24, 2016

The EPA's crack-down on emissions malfeasance has thrown the U.S. diesel vehicle market into disarray.

With the 2017 model year well underway, Jaguar is the only brand selling 2017 diesel light vehicles in the U.S. That compares with nine brands offering 20 models in the previous model year, including many from Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche, which are now sidelined from the diesel market altogether.

Later this year, BMW will join Jaguar, having received a green light from the EPA over the summer.

But for now, those are the only two automakers cleared to sell 2017 diesels, an EPA spokesman said.

Other automakers' plans remain in limbo as the EPA continues the rigorous diesel testing regime it implemented in response to VW's emissions violations, highlighting a lingering effect of the cheating scandal on the rest of the industry.

Since last October, the EPA has subjected diesels to a new battery of tests designed to root out the type of cheating uncovered at VW. To deter automakers from trying to game the tests, EPA officials have said little publicly about the enhanced testing, saying only that vehicles would be kept longer and tested in unpredictable ways.

"It is true that diesel vehicles are getting extra scrutiny and that has extended the certification process longer than normal," EPA spokes-man Nick Conger said. "In general, manufacturers have been supportive of this additional testing and have adjusted their timing to account for the additional test duration."

The new testing has uncovered no evidence of emissions manipulation thus far, but the effects have been felt throughout the industry, beginning with delayed launches last year of the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon diesel pickups and the diesel 2016 BMW X5.

GM is now awaiting approval for the 2017 Colorado and Canyon. GM, which also has a Cruze diesel due next year, says it's still building 2016 diesel pickups.

Jeep and Ram stores have gasoline-powered 2017 Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500s in stock, but no diesels, even though both models were offered with Fiat Chrysler's 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine for 2016 and press materials indicate the engines would be offered for 2017. An FCA spokesman refused to comment.

FCA's online inventory trackers show several thousand unsold 2016 EcoDiesel Ram 1500s available nationwide, as well as hundreds of the less popular Grand Cherokee diesels.

BMW delayed the start of production for its 2017 diesel 3-series sedan and X3 and X5 crossovers pending testing by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board. The 3-series and X3 diesels are on track to arrive by year end and the X5 diesel arrives in January.

Mercedes-Benz is now delaying plans to offer four diesel models in the U.S.: a C-class sedan as well as GLC, GLE and GLS utility vehicles.

"Numerous authorities are currently testing diesel engine vehicles for compliance with emission standards," says Mercedes spokesman Robert Moran. "Of course, this process has a considerable impact on new diesel certification projects both in terms of effort and duration."

For now, Mercedes' priority is securing EPA certification for the V-6 diesel in the GLS350d, Moran wrote, refusing to provide a launch date.

He also refused to say whether Mercedes still intends to offer diesel versions of the GLE or GLC in the U.S., as Mercedes executives had said would happen. It still sells the 2016 GLE300d in the U.S., but dealerhip supplies are dwindling.

But Moran confirmed that Mercedes has abandoned plans to offer a diesel C class next year in the U.S., citing "product strategy reasons." Even that timing represented a delay: the C300d was supposed to arrive the first quarter of this year.

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Wrote about this a month ago in my Gearhead Grrrl blog.

"Diesel Cars Disappearing?

Was perusing the Energy Department’s just released 2017 Fuel Economy Guide the other day and noticed a dearth of diesel cars. Other than Jaguar’s 5 diesel powered models which I don’t believe have even hit showrooms yet, there’s nothing listed.  Just last year we had 24 models from BMW, Mercedes, GM, Fiat Chrysler, and even Rover to choose from, even after VW’s diesels were given the boot by the EPA.

It’s already an open secret shared by displeased customers that Mercedes has pulled it’s 2017 diesel lineup. With rumors suggesting that VW may not be the only emissions cheater circulating, have most all the diesel car makers pulled their offerings before they step deeper into the do-do? Or are the EPA and CARB giving them extra scrutiny before certification, like they did last year?

And here I was, happily ready to hand over the title to my ’13 TDI for what I paid for it, assuming that I’d just turn around and buy another, then diesel on in peace for another decade or so. Perhaps EPA and CARB think that if they deny me a diesel, I’ll give in and accept one of their limited range throwaway electric cars, or at least a throwaway hybrid? Sorry, but even with hybrids being rebated down to the price of their gas equivalents I’m not about to buy a car that will annoy me with “replace hybrid battery” warnings for over half it’s time in my possession. If I’m denied a diesel, the cost of fueling a gas car makes turning in my TDI vs. letting VW “fix” it a wash. And if the EPA and CARB refuse to approve a “fix”, maybe I’ll just have to drive my “dirty diesel” another couple decades…

And did I mention that I’ve got another TDI, a 2003? And if pushed, I ‘spose I could transplant the really dirty diesel out of my ’86 Golf into bodyshell that still has a full floor, then pull out a wrench and screwdriver and crank the injection pump up to “coal roller” setting…"