Hyundai rumoured to be ending production of diesel engines

by womenonwheels

January 18, 2021

Hyundai is rumoured to be ending production of diesel engines

Diesel engine options have always been a popular choice for heavy-duty trucks because of their high torque output, which enables for higher towing capacities.

However, over recent years the diesel engine has slowly begun to die out in the passenger car market, either because petrol engines have gotten better and are able to tow heavier loads, or because of the emergence of EVs and their ability to produce instant torque. Now, it looks like we might be getting our first confirmation of the death of Diesel engines.

According to reports from The Korea Times, Hyundai Motor Group will stop developing new diesel engines as part of the companies initiative to lower its reliance on internal combustion engines and transition into producing more EVs and hydrogen fuel cell EVs. An exact date on when the company will stop producing diesel engines has not been made clear yet.

“It is a global automotive trend to stop developing new diesel engines,” a source from Hyundai told The Korea Times, “However, this does not mean that Hyundai will end diesel vehicle production immediately, and the group will release updated versions of existing engines for a while,” they added.

In terms of what existing diesel engines models will continue to receive updates, the diesel engines for SUV models like the Santa Fe and Tucson and V engines for smaller models like Hyundai Accent and Kia Soul will all still receive upgrades or revamps going forward.

Hyundai Motor’s decision to stop production on a number of its diesel engines falls in line with other global carmakers, who have already announced plans to suspend diesel engine development.

The likes of Volvo, Volkswagen, and Fiat Chrysler, who also own Jeep, Chrysler and Maserati have all announced their intentions to phase out diesel engines from passenger cars before 2030.

 

Picture: Pixabay