Click on the image for a gallery of high-res images of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec.

Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Dan Neil has a good piece about the California Air Resources Board adopting the EPA's Tier II, Bin 5 emission standard two years before most of the U.S. leaving the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec as out of reach for Californians. Neil points out that the new E320 Bluetec does meet the Bin 8 emissions standard and gets 45 percent(!) better fuel economy than the equivalent petrol-powered E350.

Bluetec of course is Mercedes-Benz's branding for their clean diesel technology which sees the E320 Bluetec equipped with a NOx adsorber-catalyst, exhaust gas recirculation and a particular filter. Like your average modern oil burner, the off-the-mark times and power ratings aren't all that noteworthy, but the torque is massive. Neil describes the E320's pull well, "[it] has torque like a nuclear attack sub."

As I described in my recent Volkswagen Passat TDI review, all that torque results in amazing overtaking ability, "Even while driving up a reasonable gradient doing 100 km/h with the engine ticking over at 1,500 revs in sixth, there is torque on tap to blow past other cars without the Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) even needing to switch down if you bury your foot."

Neil describes a similar sensation in the E320, "In the passing lane, this inoffensive burgher of the interstate pulls like a BMW M3."

Analysis: The only problem with buying a huge saloon with a clean diesel engine and great fuel economy is that you probably should have bought a smaller car anyway. Switching to diesel vehicles to maintain an unsustainable love affair with big vehicles is false economy.



Click here to watch Neil eat an E320-toasted bagel.

Related:

• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2007 Volkswagen Passat TDI
• Green Car Journal names its favorite 2007 models
• Camry Hybrid named 2007 Canadian Car of the Year

[Source: LA Times]

In a good overview of diesel's strengths and weaknesses, Transportation News points out that higher emissions continue to be diesel engine's Achilles heal. The stringent California emissions laws, enforced in California, Massachusetts, Maine, New York and Vermont, are such that no current diesel passenger vehicle is available for sale in all 50 states. Thankfully though new designs and technology designed to allow diesel passenger vehicles to meet the 2007 Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards will soon debut and should even up the playing field in the U.S. to a degree versus petrol vehicles although cost will still be an issue.

Better fuel economy, longevity and power are all ticked off as benefits of diesel engines but emissions, especially NOx, require advanced features like urea neutralisation systems and particulate filters to keep the air clean. As AutoblogGreen readers probably know, the Mercedes E320 BlueTec is one of the first cabs off the rank with a Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions compliant urea-based additive system designed to reduce NOx emissions by more than eight times compared to the outgoing 2006 E320 CDI.

As well as leading the diesel bandwagon, DaimlerChrysler also has identified a global trend towards smaller cars with less powerful engines which may see it bring compact models to the U.S. in the future. Currently Mercedes-Benz sells only large cars and SUVs in the American market, in part to preserve the prestige badge, but also for financial reasons partially to do with the weak dollar. If trends continue however, Mercedes may look at bringing its A-Class and B-Class models to the U.S.

Related:

• Volkswagen announces power-train roadmap toward oil free future
• Prius, Bluetec make list of best cars for commuting
• Wards announces 13th annual 10 best engines including Mercedes BlueTec V-6

[Source: Signonsandiego.com]

In his 2006 Year-End Speech, the CEO of Honda, Takeo Fukui, outlined several green initiatives that the company will undertake in 2007 including building a new resource/energy efficient automobile plant; advancing their engine technology in the areas of petrols, diesels, hybrids; flex fuel and fuel cell vehicles; and building an experimental cellulosic ethanol plant, amongst others.

The state-of-the-art "Green Factory" automobile plant Honda plans to build in Yorii, Japan aims to achieve the world's top level of resource/energy efficiency and will reduce the amount of CO2 emitted per automobile produced by 20 percent compared to the 2000 level. Highly efficient production and logistics systems will be used in the plant Fukui said there will be a people-friendly environment for the workers.

The petrol engine technology currently used in Honda models is set to be upgraded with advanced VTEC and VCM technologies for automobiles and "super-low friction engines" for motorcycles; all aimed at improving fuel efficiency and improving emissions.

Honda confirmed that they will expand their hybrid program to a smaller vehicle to be offered in 2009 at a price level below that of the Civic Hybrid.

Diesel technology hasn't been left out either, with Honda planning to introduce a medium-to-large size diesel vehicle. "Super-clean diesel engine" technology will be introduced within three years that will meet the stringent U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 emission standards.

Honda has recently started selling the Civic FFV flexible fuel vehicle in Brazil which can be run on petrol-ethanol blends between E20 and E100. The Fit FFV is set to be introduced this month. To further bioethanol research, an experimental cellulosic ethanol plant will be built within Honda's Fundamental Technology Research Center in Wako in 2007.

Coming a year later in 2008 will be a mass-produced fuel cell model based on the technology and design of the FCX Concept.

In addition to these vehicle advances, Honda has a new solar cell subsidiary, Honda Soltec Co., Ltd., which was established earlier this month. This company will begin full-scale sales of solar cells when mass production begins at the new plant in Kumamoto in fall 2007.

Related:

• LA Auto Show: Honda Civic GX quick test drive
• Honda's new solar cell subsidiary, Honda Soltec opens for business
• IRS approves Honda hybrid and natural gas vehicles for tax credits

[Source: GreenCarCongress]