Pickup truck and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with diesel engines grew 28 percent during 2020, reported the Diesel Technology Forum, an association representing diesel engine and equipment manufacturers, fuel producers and emissions control suppliers.
Based on data and analysis provided by Alan Baum and Associates, the findings included vehicles with diesel engines held five out of 10 rankings for fastest growing sales from 2019 to 2020. Overall auto sales declined by more than 14 percent during the year.
“For several decades, full-size pickup trucks have been at the top of the most popular selling vehicles in America,” Diesel Technology Forum Executive Director Allen Shaeffer said, “and now with new fuel-efficient and powerful diesel engine options available, last year’s 28 percent growth in sales results confirm that consumers are embracing the new generation of diesel technology more than ever.”
Consumer trends toward SUVs and pickup trucks are not new, Shaeffer said, and have been occurring for nearly a decade.
“What is new is the growing number of more fuel-efficient offerings for car and truck buyers then ever before, ranging from battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, full hybrid and even hydrogen fuel cell options, although diesel continues to dominate in the alternative fuel segment,” he said. “The five of the top 10 fastest selling alternative fuel vehicles sold in 2020 are diesel-powered, is a very strong statement that consumers value what the new diesel engines offer.”
There are 13 diesel options available in mid, full-size and heavy-duty pickup trucks. Starting last year, three first-time diesel engine options were available in the full-size truck segment – General Motors Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram Trucks 1500 EcoDiesel and Ford F-150. The first-time offerings were in addition to the heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 series pickup truck offerings, including the Cummins diesel in the Ram heavy-duty trucks.
“In the vehicle segments more Americans now prefer, more diesel options are turning out to be a win-win because diesel is a fuel-efficient choice that requires no compromises in fuel efficiency, vehicle utility or performance,” Schaeffer said. “With readily available fuel at more than two-thirds of all stations and highway ratings of as much as 33 miles per gallon (mpg) along with driving ranges that can exceed 500 miles on a single tank, the diesel option presents great overall value for consumers in these larger vehicles.”
Schaeffer added that the new diesel engine generation includes the most powerful and fuel-efficient to date, with zero emissions, making them financially and environmentally beneficial.
“More diesel engine sales would help boost the overall U.S. vehicle fleet fuel efficiency, which according to the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency], fell to 24.9 mpg in the 2019 model year as more Americans bought larger sport utility vehicles instead of cars,” Schaeffer said. “Last year was a difficult year for the auto industry, thanks to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seeing sales growth for diesel engine options is a strong signal that if fuel prices remain stable and economic recovery continues, we would expect that sales of pickups and larger SUVs with diesel engine options are only likely to increase as consumers seek more fuel efficiency, power and performance for the long haul of vehicle ownership.”
