Will ‘clean diesel’ car sales take off in the U.S. in 2008? J.D. Powers’s Al Bedwell thinks so
by Ken Winston Caine
Federal regulations require filling stations to pump low-sulfur “clean diesel” beginning in September. And a new breed of powerful, quieter, 97% cleaner diesel engine that takes full advantage of the more refined fuel will be under the hoods of cars on U.S. streets…sometime soon.
Vehicles running on “clean diesel” fuel don’t leave clouds of black soot in their wake, emit less carbon dioxide than gasoline-burning vehicles and get about 30% better mileage.
With all this, a J.D. Powers forecaster is predicting that 2008 will be the “year of the diesel” (the new diesel) in the U.S. and that clean diesel will become the new “green car” for the masses. It already is in Europe. And is moving into India big-time this year.
Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan and Honda are bringing “clean diesel” versions of their popular models to the U.S. market. Mercedes and VW models are expectred in showrooms this year. Honda will roll out a revolutionary new four-banger in the U.S. for the 2009 model year, according to AutoBlog. Honda’s new engine — a from-the-ground-up innovative design — is supposedly a quiet diesel. See how it works in this flash video.
U.S. automakers haven’t announced plans to push clean diesel passenger vehicles in the U.S. but are manufacturing and selling them overseas. Europe jumped on the “clean diesel” bandwagon much earlier than the U.S. and Britain has seen new-breed diesels jump to 40% of all cars sold — up from 15% when introduced in 2000, according to Bedwell.
J.D. Powers’s Al Bedwell predicts America will see a clean diesel boom in 2008. (See in-depth Businessweek interview with Bedwell.)
In Britain, Bedwell says, the diesel versions of popular cars cost about 5% more than the gasoline models. And the diesel fuel also costs about that much more per gallon — but since the engines deliver 25% to 30% more miles per gallon — buyers come out well ahead in the long run. And so does the environment. Diesel, he says, which has long suffered a noisy, rattlling, sooty, smelly reputation, has undegone a makeover and is about to emerge as the new, sensible green vehicle.
Also coming down the highway, but trailing a little further behind: the (clean) diesel-electric hybrid.
