225 Diesel Cars Sold In USA January - Diesel Sales Feel the Pain of VW Emissions Scandal

Fewer than 225 diesel cars were sold in January, a sharp decline from the 4,448 units sold a year ago.

NEW YORK February 22, 2016 – NACS On line reported that although uncertainty followed the heels of Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal as to how it would impact overall vehicle sales, the verdict appears to be out.

The Wall Street Journal, citing data from WardsAuto.com, is reporting that there were 222 diesel-powered cars sold in the U.S. in January, a sharp decline from the 4,448 sold in the same period a year ago, and down about a third of the 631 sold in December 2015. Diesel car sales for 2015 peaked in May, when 9,300 units were sold.

However, all may not be lost in the world of diesel vehicles. In the United States, diesel-powered trucks are more popular options than sedans. In fact, WardsAuto.com reported strong demand for diesel in light trucks throughout the Volkswagen scandal, “reflecting a wider migration among buyers to heavier vehicles,” notes the Journal. But in January 2016, automakers sold almost 22,000 diesel light-trucks, a 16% decline compared with January 2015.

Patrick Min, senior analyst for TrueCar Inc., told the news source that light trucks will remain the largest user of diesel engines in the United States, noting that there are a “growing number of light-duty trucks offering diesel,” such as Nissan and GM models. Min also said that lower gas prices have tempered demand for diesel, as diesel prices “can be a 20% to 25% premium at the pump.”

On September 3, 2015, Volkswagen disclosed at a meeting with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that emissions software in four-cylinder diesel vehicles from model years 2009-2015 contained a “defeat device,” which is hidden software that recognizes whether a vehicle is being operated in a test laboratory or on the road. The software made those vehicles emit lower levels of nitrogen oxides during laboratory testing rather than when the vehicles were driven on the road.

In October 2015, a NACS consumer survey revealed that about 40% of respondents knew “a little” or “nothing at all” about the VW scandal. The NACS survey also asked consumers how their views on diesel vehicles had changed over the past three to six months, with 73% saying that their views were “about the same as before.” Only 6% said their view was “much more negative towards diesel vehicles.”