Gains in Diesel Efficiency Ease Fuel Cost Concerns
As global oil prices have settled in comfortably at a new normal of over ninety dollars per barrel, fuel efficiency has become more than just a catchphrase, it has become a way of life.
With more and more concern over the environmental impact of hybrid vehicle batteries and amazing increases in diesel efficiency, more US auto manufacturers are seeing diesel as the future.
Efficiency It is a given that diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines.
Diesel efficiency, both in fuel and engine life, is the reason diesel engines power the transportation fleets of the world.
Common wisdom has it that only hybrid cars are more efficient..
but are they? A recent test by VW, which markets the Jetta model in diesel, gas, and hybrid, may just change your mind.
An efficiency test of all three models showed that hybrid efficiency and diesel efficiency were about equal, but that the diesel model paid for in half the miles driven.
Emissions For years, complaints about diesel emissions have outweighed the benefits of diesel efficiency.
Technology developed and implemented in the last few years has eased that concern.
New technologies such as DEF, developed and implemented in all diesel production vehicles, virtually eliminates all particulate and nitrous oxide emissions, and actually makes the diesel as clean - cleaner in some cases - as gasoline engines.
Availability While diesel efficiency has always made it attractive, the lack of availability of diesel automobiles, especially in the US, has never made it an option for most automobile buyers.
With the diesel innovations of the last few years, that has all changed.
For years, the only diesel options in the US were expensive German cars or heavy-duty trucks.
Now, US manufacturers such as Chrysler and Mazda are at the forefront of the new diesel efficiency and innovation.
Diesel Production After years of automotive diesel choices in the U.
S.
being limited to expensive German passenger cars, automakers in the states are jumping into the passenger diesel market with both feet to both keep up with changing customer demands and maintain CAFE standards.
Chevy has just announced production of the Cruze diesel, with automatic transmission and a 42 MPG EPA rating.
This is compared to the Cruze Eco with manual transmission and no takers.
Mazda is innovating new diesel technology for its passenger cars, called Skyactiv, that returns 43 MPG on the Mazda 6 and is extremely high-efficiency and low emission.
Chrysler, borrowing engines and technology from its European cousins, will be offering a diesel version of the 2014 Cherokee, as well as the only half-ton diesel pickup.
With more and more concern over the environmental impact of hybrid vehicle batteries and amazing increases in diesel efficiency, more US auto manufacturers are seeing diesel as the future.
Efficiency It is a given that diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines.
Diesel efficiency, both in fuel and engine life, is the reason diesel engines power the transportation fleets of the world.
Common wisdom has it that only hybrid cars are more efficient..
but are they? A recent test by VW, which markets the Jetta model in diesel, gas, and hybrid, may just change your mind.
An efficiency test of all three models showed that hybrid efficiency and diesel efficiency were about equal, but that the diesel model paid for in half the miles driven.
Emissions For years, complaints about diesel emissions have outweighed the benefits of diesel efficiency.
Technology developed and implemented in the last few years has eased that concern.
New technologies such as DEF, developed and implemented in all diesel production vehicles, virtually eliminates all particulate and nitrous oxide emissions, and actually makes the diesel as clean - cleaner in some cases - as gasoline engines.
Availability While diesel efficiency has always made it attractive, the lack of availability of diesel automobiles, especially in the US, has never made it an option for most automobile buyers.
With the diesel innovations of the last few years, that has all changed.
For years, the only diesel options in the US were expensive German cars or heavy-duty trucks.
Now, US manufacturers such as Chrysler and Mazda are at the forefront of the new diesel efficiency and innovation.
Diesel Production After years of automotive diesel choices in the U.
S.
being limited to expensive German passenger cars, automakers in the states are jumping into the passenger diesel market with both feet to both keep up with changing customer demands and maintain CAFE standards.
Chevy has just announced production of the Cruze diesel, with automatic transmission and a 42 MPG EPA rating.
This is compared to the Cruze Eco with manual transmission and no takers.
Mazda is innovating new diesel technology for its passenger cars, called Skyactiv, that returns 43 MPG on the Mazda 6 and is extremely high-efficiency and low emission.
Chrysler, borrowing engines and technology from its European cousins, will be offering a diesel version of the 2014 Cherokee, as well as the only half-ton diesel pickup.
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