( www.usnews.com ) The New York Times reports, "After years in the automotive wilderness, largely exiled to the smoky borders of truck stops, diesel is coming home," and "Americans may not recognize its freshly scrubbed face." Low-sulfur diesel fuel mandated by a change to federal laws passed in 2000 "has opened the door to sophisticated emissions controls that let diesel engines meet the strict pollution standards of California. Those rules, the world's most stringent by far, require 2009-model diesels to be as green as gasoline or even hybrid models." Technological advances "like turbocharging and high-pressure fuel injection" have let today's diesels mimic the performance of gasoline-powered engines. The times reports, "Volkswagen says it will be the first to market, with Jetta sedans and wagons arriving in August." BMW and Audi also plan major pushes to bring diesel engines into the U.S. market over the next several years.
Mercedes-Benz has begun offering clean diesel options in all 50 states .
According to Business Week , Honda "has plans for clean diesel engines in anything larger than a Civic . It thinks clean diesel, which can boost fuel economy by more than 25%, is a more cost-effective solution than hybrids."
Even the older, less efficient diesel engines are selling. A separate New York Times article reports, "Prices of used Mercedes diesels remain strong. A 1984 300TD wagon with 164,000 miles on it recently sold for $11,900 on eBay."
Diesel may not save your wallet at the gas pump, however. Delaware's News-Journal reports, "Last year at this time, the average price for a gallon of diesel in Delaware was $2.89. Last week, it hit $4.51 -- a state record. The 26 percent rise in local gas prices since last May gets the attention, but diesel's 56 percent rise achieved something many thought they'd never see -- once-economical diesel is now more expensive than gasoline" in some parts of the country.
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