Recent Comments:
It's not your father's Oldsmobile diesel: checking out modern oil-burners {Autoblog Green}
Dec 14th 2007 12:51PM I'm hopeful for the future of new diesels. We do a lot of long distance driving which allows diesels to achieve their best fuel economy. Hybrids shine in city driving of which we do little. I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, that the extra cost for a diesel engine is significantly less than the extra cost for a hybrid system. The real problem for diesels, as the writer from Texas points out, is the higher cost of diesel fuel compared to unleaded regular. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the cost differential has been about $0.50 per gallon, although it seems to be coming down recently. I don't know the reason for the differential, but suspect its demand (more cars use unleaded regular), the finite number of refineries in the country, the need to produce different mixes of gasoline for different parts of the country at different times of the year, and the seasonal demand for home heating oil (which seems to have coincided with a drop in diesel prices here). Investigating the reasons for the cost differential would be a good thing.
New York Auto Show: clean diesel Jetta SportWagen coming to us in 2008 {Autoblog Green}
Dec 2nd 2007 9:51PM What is the probability that US drivers will embrace European clean diesels in enough numbers to blunt the trend towards hybrids and reduce the price disparity between unleaded regular and diesel? That differential is currently $0.50 per gallon in western Washington state where I live. I agree with the VW executive who believes hybrid systems are not the most cost effective way to improve fuel mileage and reduce pollution. I'm heartened that the VW Tiguan will eventually be offered here with a turbo diesel engine, and that Subaru and Suzuki are offering (Suzuki) and will offer (Subaru) diesel powered cars in Europe. How long it will take the latter to offer such vehicles here will probably depend on VW's experience. I know I'm ready for a clean turbo diesel.
