Fiat Chrysler Automobiles must feel pretty confident the government will accept the changes the company made to the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine as the automaker has reportedly resumed production of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel.
According to Automotive News, several workers at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant have confirmed the company has began building the truck after a nearly year long hiatus. Production appears to be relatively limited as workers suggested FCA is building less than 24 units per shift.
A spokesperson declined to comment on the report but FCA filed an application for a diesel vehicle emissions certification back in May. At the time, the company said the truck would be equipped with “updated emissions software calibrations” which it believed would address concerns raised by the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.
Days after the application was filed, the United States Department of Justice and the EPA sued the automaker for using defeat devices as well as having “software functions” that were not disclosed during the certification process. It was later revealed the EPA believed FCA was using defeat devices as early as 2015.
More recently, West Virginia University’s Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions (CAFEE) reported diesel models from FCA emit up to 20 times the legal amount of nitrogen oxide. FCA disputed the report saying it tried to equate on-road tests with those conducted by the EPA under laboratory conditions.
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