After 2018, BMW’s diesel-powered vehicles will be sent out to pasture in the United States. The German luxury brand confirmed with Motor Authority that all oil burners will exit the market as the company focuses on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). BMW spokesperson Alexander Schmuck told the publication, “we are putting all our eggs in the PHEV basket.” The brand later clarified a final decision hasn’t been made on whether the BMW X5 diesel variant will reach U.S. shores. The company will monitor the market and tweak its product portfolio accordingly, which may leave one diesel-powered SUV on sale. BMW confirmed the decision as it announced improvements for the 2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid. Schmuck said the plug-in SUV should return about 40 miles of electric range, which is up substantially over the current model’s 14-mile estimated electric range. The new model will also move from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to a 3.0-liter inline-six engine. The new engine will make it easier for the brand to comply with California’s SULEV (super ultra-low emissions vehicle) clean-air standards. SEE ALSO: BMW X3 M and X4 M Shown With Twin Turbo Inline-Six SULEV certification means the vehicle produces 90 percent fewer emissions than the average gasoline-powered vehicle. The diesel announcement comes as many automakers begin to ditch oil-burning powertrains in the wake of Volkswagen’s 2015 scandal. Instead, nearly every automaker has opted to invest in electrification to meet fuel economy targets with a range of mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric models. BMW plans to introduce 25 electrified cars by 2025 and 12 of the models will be purely electric. [Source: Motor Authority] A version of this story originally appeared on Hybrid Cars.
BMW has said it will stop selling diesel cars in the US, with the possible exception of its X5 model, and focus on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The decision followed an update to the 2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid, which is expected to have a 40-mile range, compared with three-litre at present. It will also have a about 14 miles, six-cylinder engine that will help it comply with California's super ultra-low emissions vehicle standards. BMW plans to launch 25 electric models by 2025, of which 12 will be fully electric.