Porsche Says Diesel's Future Is On The Chopping Block Sooner Than You Think

VW's, Porsche's, and Audi's diesel "reality" has been dead in North America since about September 2015, the world premiere of Dieselgate. Was anyone in North America delaying their purchase based on whether they can get a diesel engine option?

Of course it is dead. After the current generation of Diesel engines, or the engines that are far along in the development process, the further development of the technology will stop. At this point it is more expensive to meet emissions standards with diesel than to add hybrid technology.

Poor unloved diesels.
Mazda’s new SkyActiv-X compression-ignition engine combined Gas and Diesel to obtain the benefits of both in one engine.

Apparently, these are the final days of primary gas engine technology advancements. Many manufacturers have publicly stated of late that they will only be producing electric or hybrid electric vehicles by 2022. That is only about 4 years away. I am going to miss those lovely V-8 engines!

Diesel was dead the minute the Prius showed up. Hybrid is simply simpler.

Sorry - people from the USA regularly misinterpret the popularity of diesels because they never took on here. However - that is because of the relative CHEAP gas here alongwith Diesel being more expensive often. In other countries - where the price of gas can be Three times what it is here - Diesel is cheap because it is the fuel of product transportation - and truckers and companies need the ability to move their goods to keep jobs alive. Countries simply CANNOT tax Diesel to bring it to the level of gas - without shooting themselves in the foot - and likely causing open rebellion.

And as long a there is an economic Advantage for diesel in those countries - Diesel cars will sell - especially when it comes to the middle and lower class where the money means the difference.

AS far as what manufacturers sell - diesel - gas - V8 - 3cylinder -Manufacturers are not in it to be green - they are in it for the money - and unless diesel is outlawed - which is unlikely especially for trucks - diesels will continue to be sold - especially in emerging nations.

ALL those who feel that EVs and Hybrids are the single answer - are wrong. The future is not going to be ONE answer - it will be Several - ICE will continue - as will Diesel - along with Hybrids (Which are ICE vehicles anyway) and EVS - ANd Fuel cells and Natural gas - and maybe even Solar - which might be the Ultimate answer. IF a car could maintain its charge as well as run during the day from solar panels - it could then use EV technology for night - and the problems of charging might go away - with bad weather being something to overcome.

The demand for diesel was artificial. The price of diesel was subsidized to make it super cheap, but even socialism can't save diesels.

@TomM. In countries with strict emissions standards (ie. USA, EU, Japan, Australia, China, and soon India) diesels are dead, the cost of meeting these tough emissions standards is too high relative to hybrids now that battery tech has become more mainstream and lower in cost. Almost every diesel car on the market exceeds the legal emissions standards in real world driving, and governments are starting to crack down There are many ways governments can discourage the sale of diesel passenger vehicles besides taxing the fuel. They can tax the vehicles heavily, they can make diesels meet the same emissions standards as gas, and they can ban Diesel vehicles from urban areas (happening in Europe already). Diesels may have a place is countries with lax emissions standards (South America, Africa, etc.) but the development of the engines will stop soon, and existing engines will be sold in these markets as long as they remain in compliance with local standards.