Ford Took Another Step To Killing Diesel Trucks
Ru Chen
· 2 min read
As of July 16,
Ford
no longer offers the Power Stroke diesel engine for its iconic F-150 pickup truck. As companies look towards greener options in electric and hybrid vehicles
, diesel is undeniably on the decline. 
Ford abandoning its diesel engine in the F-150
Ford has chosen to ditch the 3.0-liter V6 Power Stroke diesel engine that had been offered with its F-150 line since the 2018 generation.
CNET
recently reported that Ford’s most popular engine has been the EcoBoost V6 gasoline engine, which has led their green transportation transformation.The Power Stroke diesel engine produced 250 horsepower and returned 23 MPG combined. Its main saving grace was its awesome towing capacity, but even that came at a costly price: an extra $5,000.
Instead of offering the old diesel engine, Ford now promotes the F-150 PowerBoost engine, which is at the top of the charts in terms of power, fuel economy, and capability.
The new PowerBoost hybrid engine for diesel trucks
The PowerBoost returns 25 mpg and is $500 cheaper than the Power Stroke had been, where offered. It has 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet of torque, both overwhelmingly more impressive than the now retired diesel option. Still, diesel trucks have been a popular choice for years because of the reliability and performance they offered.
PowerBoost hybrid | Power Stroke diesel | |
|---|---|---|
Fuel economy | 25 mpg | 23 mpg |
Cost | $4,500 | $5,000 |
Horsepower | 430 hp | 250 hp |
The downfall of diesel
Diesel trucks have been gradually getting phased out over the years.
You may even have heard of the Volkswagen emissions scandal reported by
Cars and Driver
a few years back, where Volkswagen was ordered to pay a $2.8 billion fine for rigging diesel vehicles to cheat on government emissions tests. So much for "Clean Diesel". The truth is, diesel is not a clean or green option. When you burn diesel, many harmful emissions are produced, which results over time in pollution and health risks. Hybrid and electric vehicles are more likely to be environmentally friendly.
It’s not even the more efficient option. It costs 20% more oil to produce a gallon of diesel than a gallon of gasoline.
CNBC
notes that industry executives believe "the future is electric". Though this appears to be true, the decline in diesel pickup trucks marks the end of an era for many consumers.
