Diesel Jeeps Are Dead as Gladiator Drops the Option

Diesel cars in the United States have been dying a not-so-subtle death since the emissions cheating scandals of 2015 and later. Since then, the cleanliness of diesel engines has been called into question in a big way, and the light-duty truck and passenger car diesel options are dwindling away rapidly. Jeep will officially hang its diesel hat with the 2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon FarOut, ending the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel’s run under the hood of Jeep’s toughest trucks.

After a short run of just three model years, the Gladiator will drop the diesel option it gained in 2021. Jeep cites the reasoning for the decision as the automaker pivoting heavily towards electrification, with all of its new models due to be electrified in some way in just a few years. The 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine was added to the Jeep lineup after the 2017 accusation of emissions cheating by the EPA but before its $300 million 2022 settlement with the federal government for the same accusation.