Diesel Car Era Ending By: Frank Friday, Government Relations truck diesel. However, in 2009, both proved to be failures. To make things worse, VW was caught cheating on its government test results, and the carmaker had to pay over $15 billion in buy-backs and penalties just in the United States. Since then, car sales of diesels have declined dramatically in the US. Volkswagen is selling off its remaining inventory of retested 2015 models and is expected to fully exit the North American diesel market. Even worse news is coming from Europe, as tougher emissions controls may end the diesel’s reign there, as well. One leading industry analyst predicted, “Diesel car sales will plummet to 9 percent of the European market in 2030 from 52 percent today…with the decline accelerating after 2020.” The big automakers in America, Asia, and Europe have all seen the future, and it looks electric. Diesels may still be offered in America as an option in large pick-up trucks and SUVs, but its era in cars seems to have passed forever, gone with the Oldsmobile. continued from page 1 2