Diesel Engine Market

Internal combustion engines that utilize diesel as fuel are known as diesel engines, these engines are also known as compression ignition engines. Moreover, diesel engines are integrated in heavy vehicles owing to their capability to produce higher torque, as compared to that produced by gasoline or any other engine.

Demand for diesel engines is likely to decline during the forecast period, owing to rise in stringency of emission norms and increased emphasis by governing bodies on the production as well as adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles. Surge in pollution across the globe is a major issue that is likely to drive the adoption of electric vehicles. According to a study by the World Bank, higher pollution levels resulted in around 9 million premature deaths in 2016, and the air quality index of major industrial regions has been declining consistently. According to the World Health Organization, 9 out of 10 people are breathing air with high level of pollutants. Asia Pacific and Europe are facing the major issues regarding the quality of air due to emission of large amount of pollutants from manufacturing industries in these regions. Some organizations in the U.S., such as EPA (Environment Protection Agency) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), have estimated that one-third of the total air pollution is collectively contributed by vehicles running on the road.

Consequently, the production of the diesel engines is being minimized since 2014 in order to improve the air quality index and lower pollution levels. High maintenance and higher emission from diesel engines are key factors restraining the diesel engine market for automotive. Higher duties on diesel engines due to their higher weight increases the cost of these vehicles, which in turn, in some cases, is likely to hamper the diesel engine market for automotive.

The diesel engine market for automotive can be segmented based on engine type, vehicle, and region. In terms of engine type, the diesel engine market for automotive can be classified into hybrid and pure diesel engine. The pure diesel engine segment is likely to hold a major share of the diesel engine market for automotive; however, rising adoption of hybrid vehicles and diesel hybrids by few major OEMs, such as Volkswagen Group and BMW Group, in their performance series vehicles is likely to boost the hybrid diesel engine segment during the forecast period.

In terms of vehicle, the commercial vehicle segment is expected to hold a prominent share of the diesel engine market for automotive, owing to application of diesel engines in almost all heavy commercial vehicles and a large number of light commercial vehicles. Diesel engines are highly preferred in commercial vehicles, as most commercial vehicles prefer higher torque over speed.

In terms of region, Asia Pacific is likely to hold a notable share of the global diesel engine market for automotive, followed by Europe. Asia Pacific comprises major automotive manufacturing facilities, primarily located in China, Japan, and India, where Japan is a prominent manufacturer of heavy commercial vehicles. On the other hand, Europe is significantly reducing the production of diesel engines owing to the stringent emission norms in the region. In North America, most passenger vehicles incorporate gasoline engines, owing to the low cost of gasoline in the region, as compared to that of diesel. Flex fuel vehicles dominate the market in Latin America.

Key manufacturers operating in the global diesel engine market for automotive include Cummins Inc., Kubota Corporation, ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED, Yanmar Co., Ltd., and Fiat Powertrain Technologies S.p.A.