Yet vehicles that were once the antithesis of eco-friendly are making far deeper
inroads with mainstream consumers: fuel-sipping, ultralong-range diesel cars.
Attracted by newly quiet and clean-running engines that deliver some 15 to 30 percent better mileage than their gasoline counterparts, Americans flocked to diesels in 2012. Sales of diesel passenger cars and S.U.V.’s jumped by nearly 26 percent from 2011. That’s despite the stubbornly high price of diesel fuel that, at $3.87 a gallon on average, is 23 cents more than regular gas (but a penny less than premium grade).
Given that reality, some automakers are wondering out loud why new-school diesel cars — which in some cases burn even less fuel and produce lower levels of global-warming gases than hybrids — are getting no love or largess from Washington.
“This planet will not be rescued by superexpensive technology for the few, but when the majority of mobility is clean,” said Rainer Michel, vice president for product planning at Volkswagen of America. “Diesel is far less expensive than plug-ins and E.V.’s, with better range and performance. This technology is available today.”
That assessment might be expected from VW or another automaker based in Europe, where roughly half of all new cars are frugal diesels. One in five new VWs sold in the United States today is diesel-powered, making the company by far the nation’s leader.
But with automakers on a steep climb to the federal fuel economy target of 54.5 m.p.g. for 2025, even domestic automakers can no longer afford to ignore a technology with so much potential.
For instance, the new Chevrolet Cruze Diesel, carrying a 46-m.p.g. federal highway rating, is officially the highest-mileage nonhybrid sold in America. The Mazda 6 Skyactiv-D sedan goes on sale this year. A Cadillac ATS diesel is in the works.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel, powered by a turbo V-6 with Fiat connections, is arriving in dealers. Jeep executives may expand that engine’s availability, perhaps to the all-new 2014 Cherokee or a 2015 Wrangler. Ford’s Transit commercial van will also get diesel power.
Despite remarkable advances in mainstream gasoline engines, the combustion cycle developed by Rudolf Diesel at the end of the 19th century continues to be more fuel-efficient. For one, diesel engines squeeze the air in their cylinders to such pressures that the injected fuel ignites with no need for an electric spark. And gallon-for-gallon, diesel fuel contains some 12 percent more energy than gasoline. The upshot: diesels consume about 15 to 30 percent less fuel over all.
Owners of heavy-duty pickups have long relied on these durable, hard-working engines, which have the reputation for running 300,000 miles and more. This fall, the 2014 Ram — among the mileage leaders on the gasoline side — will become the only light-duty pickup to offer a diesel, a 3-liter V-6 shared with Jeep. That innovation, in a pickup class that accounts for more than a million sales each year, is sure to be closely watched by Ford and Chevy.
About 6.7 million diesel vehicles were on American roads in 2012, according to R. L. Polk registration data, but barely 800,000 of those were passenger cars and S.U.V.’s; heavy-duty pickups and vans account for most of the remainder. That compares with 2.3 million registered hybrid models.
The number of available diesel car and S.U.V. models is expected to double by the end of 2014, to 34 from 17, according to the Diesel Technology Forum.
An industry analysis firm, LMC Automotive, projects that diesel market share will double by 2018, from 3.7 percent to 7.5 percent. That would rival the 8.7 percent for all hybrids and plug-ins combined. And battery-only E.V.’s? They’re expected to capture just 0.6 percent of sales.
Attracted by newly quiet and clean-running engines that deliver some 15 to 30 percent better mileage than their gasoline counterparts, Americans flocked to diesels in 2012. Sales of diesel passenger cars and S.U.V.’s jumped by nearly 26 percent from 2011. That’s despite the stubbornly high price of diesel fuel that, at $3.87 a gallon on average, is 23 cents more than regular gas (but a penny less than premium grade).
Given that reality, some automakers are wondering out loud why new-school diesel cars — which in some cases burn even less fuel and produce lower levels of global-warming gases than hybrids — are getting no love or largess from Washington.
“This planet will not be rescued by superexpensive technology for the few, but when the majority of mobility is clean,” said Rainer Michel, vice president for product planning at Volkswagen of America. “Diesel is far less expensive than plug-ins and E.V.’s, with better range and performance. This technology is available today.”
That assessment might be expected from VW or another automaker based in Europe, where roughly half of all new cars are frugal diesels. One in five new VWs sold in the United States today is diesel-powered, making the company by far the nation’s leader.
But with automakers on a steep climb to the federal fuel economy target of 54.5 m.p.g. for 2025, even domestic automakers can no longer afford to ignore a technology with so much potential.
For instance, the new Chevrolet Cruze Diesel, carrying a 46-m.p.g. federal highway rating, is officially the highest-mileage nonhybrid sold in America. The Mazda 6 Skyactiv-D sedan goes on sale this year. A Cadillac ATS diesel is in the works.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel, powered by a turbo V-6 with Fiat connections, is arriving in dealers. Jeep executives may expand that engine’s availability, perhaps to the all-new 2014 Cherokee or a 2015 Wrangler. Ford’s Transit commercial van will also get diesel power.
Despite remarkable advances in mainstream gasoline engines, the combustion cycle developed by Rudolf Diesel at the end of the 19th century continues to be more fuel-efficient. For one, diesel engines squeeze the air in their cylinders to such pressures that the injected fuel ignites with no need for an electric spark. And gallon-for-gallon, diesel fuel contains some 12 percent more energy than gasoline. The upshot: diesels consume about 15 to 30 percent less fuel over all.
Owners of heavy-duty pickups have long relied on these durable, hard-working engines, which have the reputation for running 300,000 miles and more. This fall, the 2014 Ram — among the mileage leaders on the gasoline side — will become the only light-duty pickup to offer a diesel, a 3-liter V-6 shared with Jeep. That innovation, in a pickup class that accounts for more than a million sales each year, is sure to be closely watched by Ford and Chevy.
About 6.7 million diesel vehicles were on American roads in 2012, according to R. L. Polk registration data, but barely 800,000 of those were passenger cars and S.U.V.’s; heavy-duty pickups and vans account for most of the remainder. That compares with 2.3 million registered hybrid models.
The number of available diesel car and S.U.V. models is expected to double by the end of 2014, to 34 from 17, according to the Diesel Technology Forum.
An industry analysis firm, LMC Automotive, projects that diesel market share will double by 2018, from 3.7 percent to 7.5 percent. That would rival the 8.7 percent for all hybrids and plug-ins combined. And battery-only E.V.’s? They’re expected to capture just 0.6 percent of sales.
