Volvo Is Abandoning Diesel

In news that should surprise nobody, Volvo is ditching diesel completely. Honestly, other automakers should follow suit, what with the raid on Mercedes-Benz offices, etc.

Sure, diesel fans are diehards, and they hate hearing the fuel is going away. But it’s looked that way for years. Some automakers seem to be hunkering down or even pouring more into diesel development, but it’s a short trend. In the long run, we’ll see diesel dwindle and die.

Really, it all comes down to money. With governments everywhere scrutinizing diesel emissions, automakers can’t afford to deal with any negative consequences. You can thank Volkswagen’s cheating ways for this new dynamic.

Volvo and others are seeing electrified cars as the perfect replacement for diesels. I know, that’s blasphemy, but it’s true. You get nice low-end torque with electric motors. They also offer great range, with some models boasting 600-plus miles. As costs continue to decrease, electrics will be affordable, making them far more popular.

The biggest change will be in Europe, where diesels are common. Other automakers no doubt are waiting to see what happens with Volvo, possibly making it a leader.

Back to Volvo, we’ll see the first production EV from the brand next year. In the meantime, it won’t put any more money into developing diesel engines. That means if you love diesel Volvos, get one and hang onto it.