Indie tests bad for VM diesels

Bloomberg News reported that testing by West Virginia University’s Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions (CAFEE) has found that the VM Motori diesels installed in Ram pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokees emit from 3 to 20 times the maximum legal amount of nitrogen oxide in on-road driving.

In tests of five 2014 and 2015 vehicles, the CAFEE also said that on-road emissions were higher than observed in laboratory testing.

The WVU center is the same facility that discovered Volkswagen’s use of defeat systems to pass emissions testing. The researchers did not say that FCA was doing anything wrong.

An FCA statement said the company has requested more information about the WVU testing, but noted that it apparently had been “commissioned by a plaintiffs’ law firm for purposes of litigation.”

2014 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel pickup. Photo credit: B. Cawthon/Allpar

FCA goes on to say the CAFEE road testing included average speeds more than 50% greater than those in the EPA test. The vehicles were also carrying 600-700 pounds more payload than is used in the EPA testing and under road conditions, including grades, that do not match those in the EPA tests.

The Justice Department is suing FCA over what it claims is undisclosed software intended to cheat laboratory testing. FCA denied any intent to deceive; recent disclosures suggest that the software issues may be traced to Bosch.