Watch this space?
"A new report from Boston-based Strategy Analytics says sales of new diesel cars could rival hybrids.
The report, "Diesel Challenges Hybrids in the US," concluded that new, low-sulfur diesel and cleaner-burning diesel engines could help carmakers sell light-duty diesel vehicles in all 50 states.
Diesel vehicles achieve fuel mileage superior to hybrids, and are popular in Europe where fuel is very expensive.
Five states led by California prevent the sale of diesel cars through strict emissions regulations.
But cleaner diesel and new engines from DaimlerChrysler and Honda that convert harmful emissions into harmless nitrogen could have diesels making inroads.
Strategy Analytics predicts that once the new diesel fuel has been approved in the five ultra-low emissions states, which account for 37 percent of hybrid sales, "diesel will challenge hybrid vehicles for the more cost-conscious 'green' consumers."
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money.cnn.com/2007/05/01/autos/diesels/?postversio...2
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having just been over there, it amazed me how few pick up trucks/vans, (that were obviously work vehicles), were diesel.......
i'd understand a leisure pick-up as a petrol V8, with petrol as cheap as they have........but not a work van/truck.....struggling no doubt to achieve 10mpg
a stonking great turbo diesel will do all the petrol would and more in the workplace
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"Diesels performance characteristics should appeal to Americans who like a lot of "off the line" power for quick acceleration, said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum"
Hmmm. All my diesel cars have been relatively slow off the mark
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maybe I don't understand what "off the line" means.
Anyway, I am surprised that this is not more political in USA. They seem to realise that they are so tied to the Gulf states with their thirst for petrol and they are looking for ever more ways to change this. I believe (but I am sure that someone can oput me right) that about 1/4 of all oil drilled goes to US vehicles. If they halved this by turning to DERV then their reliance would be much less. For them I think that this is a much more realistic solution than ethanol
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They aren't going to turn to diesels when they are in their eyes so dirty. The US is more concerned with pollutants OTHER than CO2, this is something diesels are particularly bad at hence being banned in various states. Also when petrol is cheap as it is then, their isn't an incentive to run more economical cars. Also Trucks are exempt from a lot of the emissions legislation so another reason not to bother.
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The American built Mercedes GL320CDI is sold in the USA with some new clean-up technology, but not the American built GL420CDI. An American asked me last week if this would be coming to the USA and MB's response was "no current plans".
HJ
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My brother drives a VW Beetle diesel and has done for a number of years (might be 7 now). He lives in CA. Not long after buying the state of California banned diesel cars from being sold. Not sure if it's started selling them again. The VW/MB initiative for that "blue" something or other technology is a move forward.
One reason he still has the diesel apart from being frugal is he likes diesel and cannot buy a new diesel car.
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I agree with earlier posters that it's amazing how many commercial vehicles eg vans and trucks are petrol over there eg school buses and delivery trucks...and they're automatic too.
I do think the biggest thing that could reduce US oil consumption in a stroke is teach em to change gear....if the US drove primarily manual cars they'd be saving alot esp on larger trucks.
I still think there are still a number of hurdles that prevent big US takeup:
1) no recent experience of the continuous improvement in diesel tech over last 20 yrs. Quite a bit of the work has been done by PSA/Renault who are absent from the US market for decades eg XUD engines etc. Also most US consumers if they remember anything were diesel Golfs and Mercs from the late 70s/early 80s oil crisis which will not bad for their time were smokier and much slower than now.
2) Most US cars are auto and so getting a diesel auto to work (cept recent DSG or better quality Merc/BMW ones) seems hard - get that roar/whistle, catch up, bang change thing (eg London cab). Most decent recent turbodiesels seem to work best with manual 6 speed gear boxes. most US people literally can't change gear.
3) Driving style - Most US consumers waft about and relatively quiet step off is typical in US cars - most are used to driving unstressed large capacity petrols (eg 3 litre engines in Camry type cars) whcih suits this driving style. Very few US drivers seem to want point and squirt fast overtaking etc etc.
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"USA wakes up to diesel cars"
Me too. The astonishing din of a neighbours Transit firing up wakes me most mornings at 6.00am!
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"USA wakes up to diesel cars" Me too. The astonishing din of a neighbours Transit firing up wakes me most mornings at 6.00am!
made me laugh........remember a lads holiday on a Greek Island many moons ago.........after the first night of many sherbets, woke up to the most awful din........and it happened every morning ......... it was a diesel transit hybrid vehicle with a water carrier on the back, using 1st gear up a very steep hill.............damned thing could have woken the dead
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1) no recent experience of the continuous improvement in diesel tech over last 20 yrs. Quite a bit of the work has been done by PSA/Renault who are absent from the US market for decades eg XUD engines etc. Also most US consumers if they remember anything were diesel Golfs and Mercs from the late 70s/early 80s oil crisis which will not bad for their time were smokier and much slower than now.
Not strictly true the big Amercan diesel manufactures are bang up to date with new electronic injection systems fitted to plant/trucks
The old detriot two stroke diesels fitted to grayhound buses were a very dirty if exceptionaly reliable engine
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I meant specifically in relation to diesel engines for cars as opposed to trucks. Obviously diesel trucks share similar technology/suppliers globally.
To me one of the biggest changes was the civilisation of the car diesel engine as quieter, more tractable and more "normal" behaviour led by the PSA XUD engines and then the subsequent improvement in other makes. I would wonder how quickly US car makers could develop appropriate diesel engines to suit their current ranges of cars? Obviously GM and Ford have relationships in Europe with Fiat and PSA to help them supply diesel engines to their European cars but I wonder if these would be suitable for transplant to US models especially as they'd need to be made to work with automatic gearboxes (possibly cheaper conventional autos to keep the list price competitive).
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GM offer the Vectra in this country with a 3.0 V6 diesel and an auto box. Something like that should be perfect for the home market. I think US consumer attitudes are the biggest stumbling block, over there the Vectra is sold with a 3.6 V6 petrol. Could you imagine anyone bothering with such an engine here on your average rep-mobile?
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In reply to HJ:
The current GL420CDi does not meet the emission requirements to be sold in the US. However a concept version with the Bluetec emission control system was unveiled at the Detriot motor show in January.
www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm/newsID/2070104.004/c...d
Vision concepts are usually shown in 'near production' form so it was probably shown to gauge opinion before a launch later this year or next year.
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