According to foreign media reports, Nissan Motor will gradually stop selling diesel vehicles in Europe, further demonstrating that the market’s demand for diesel vehicles is weakening, mainly due to consumers’ concerns about tax increases, imminent bans, and other diesel-related restrictions in many countries.

Nissan Motors spokesperson said that it will gradually eliminate diesel vehicles in Europe and will continue to provide diesel vehicles in the short term, but in the long run, the company will focus on electric vehicles. A Nissan spokesperson said that “Europe is the main sales market for our diesel vehicles. Our electricization will enable us to start with passenger cars and gradually stop producing diesel versions when we update models.” Informed sources earlier stated to foreign media. Due to the declining demand for European diesel vehicles, Nissan will lay off hundreds of employees at its UK factory, the Sunderland plant.

According to foreign media reports, Nissan sold 128,456 diesel vehicles in Europe last year, accounting for 16% of its total sales in Europe. Nissan said that although diesel is still an important fuel for light commercial vehicles such as pickup trucks, the company will also reduce the proportion of diesel vehicles in this area with the introduction of electromotive power systems.

In March this year, Toyota said it will stop selling diesel-powered passenger cars in Europe by the end of this year. Toyota diesel vehicles account for less than 10% of its car sales in Europe. The company will continue to provide diesel versions of its large SUV Land Cruiser, Hilux pickups and Proace light commercial vehicles.

After the Volkswagen Group's diesel vehicle emissions cheating scandal, Europe will adopt stricter emission standards, and other Japanese car manufacturers may follow Nissan and Toyota. Stefan Bratzel, head of vehicle management at the German University of Applied Sciences, said, “In particular, Japanese car companies will gradually reduce diesel vehicles because they are more skeptical about the technology from the very beginning and are less competitive in this area,” Bratzel said. Honda and Mazda will either reduce diesel car products in the future.

Data released earlier this month showed that demand for diesel vehicles in the UK slumped. In Europe, the UK is the second-largest auto market after Germany, and German diesel sales are also declining. In the face of global regulators' attacks on diesel vehicles, automakers are adjusting their businesses, including large-scale investment in electric vehicles.