In 2018, more than 1 million heavy-duty diesel engines were manufactured in facilities across the United States – a growth of 13 percent over the previous year, or nearly 120,000 engines, according to new data from the Diesel Technology Forum. Thirteen states are home to heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturing, with North Carolina producing more than one-in-three U.S.-made heavy-duty diesel engines. Other key states include Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and New York. 

“American-made heavy-duty diesel engines are the workhorse of the economy, fueling half the key U.S. economic sectors with proven, economical, efficient and now near-zero emissions technology,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “From agricultural, mining and construction equipment, to commercial vehicles, trucks, buses, locomotives, tugboats and other goods-movement equipment, diesel remains the powertrain of choice.” 

“The growth in diesel engine manufacturing is a clear indicator of the importance and future of this technology,” Schaeffer continued. “U.S.-based heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturing facilities are producing the latest new-generation diesel technologies, which not only are near-zero emissions but also lower in greenhouse gas emissions and consume less fuel.” 

Diesel Engine Manufacturing Boosts Economy and Provides Well-Paying Jobs 

In just the first quarter of 2019, heavy-duty clean diesel engines directly supported more than $ 4 trillion in U.S. economic activity. Diesel-related jobs totaled almost 265,000, with wages and salaries above the national average and a job-growth outlook of five percent each year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The agricultural, mining, construction, and transportation and logistics industries are directly dependent on heavy-duty diesel engines. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, these diesel-dependent industrial sectors have grown by 6 percent over last year. These sectors represent more than 12 percent of all private-sector industrial activity. 

New analysis from the Diesel Technology Forum provides insights into the broad impact of diesel engine manufacturing on state economies. A look through the Forum’s searchable, state-by-state database further shows how diesel is the workhorse of each state’s economy and transportation systems. This resource identifies each state’s diesel-related manufacturing and jobs; number of renewable fuel producers and stations; diesel fuel consumption; and population of diesel-powered commercial trucks, marine vessels, transit and school buses, and passenger vehicles. 

Beyond manufacturing, each state’s economy benefits from large workforce and training sectors dedicated to servicing and maintaining diesel engines, vehicles, equipment and fueling operations, along with the public and private services they provide that can be found in every community. 

Visit the Forum’s website at https://www.dieselforum.org/in-your-state to find out how clean diesel plays a role in your state. 

Fast Facts on Diesel 

• 1,012,215 heavy-duty diesel engines were produced in the United States in 2018.
• Thirteen states are home to heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturing. North Carolina, with 347,150 engines, produced one-third of all American-made engines.
• The agricultural, mining, construction, and transportation and logistics industries are dependent on heavy-duty diesel engines.
• Over the last year, diesel-dependent industrial sectors have grown by six percent.
• In Q1 2019 alone, diesel-dependent industrial sectors contributed $4 trillion in economic activity, representing more than 12 percent of all U.S. private-sector industrial activity.
• Nearly 265,000 diesel engine mechanics are employed across the United States.
• Diesel is the backbone of America’s transportation systems, powering the movement of 90 percent of the country’s freight tonnage.
• The newest-generation diesel trucks power 43 percent of commercial vehicles in the United States – more than 4.5 million Class 3-8 heavy-duty trucks – delivering significant emission reductions and substantial fuel savings.
• Diesel is the predominant power source for public transit and inter-city bus services nationwide.
• New-generation diesel-powered buses transport more than 11.5 million American children to and from school.
• Diesel is the predominant powertrain used in marine operations, including a wide array of work boats and passenger ferries.