Germans, Japanese automakers push diesel in the US - AFP- About: Fuel Economy

DETROIT, Michigan (AFP) — Two decades after Americans abandoned diesels as smelly, loud and unreliable, German and Japanese automakers are placing bets that they can entice a new generation of drivers with clean diesel technology. Japan’s Honda Motor recently announced plans to introduce clean diesel under its luxury Accord brand next year, while Toyota Motor said Sunday it would bring diesel versions of its Tundra truck and Sequoia sports utility vehicle to the US “in the near future. Germany’s Daimler has reported strong diesel sales among buyers of its luxury Mercedes brand and is bringing three new diesel SUVs to the US market this year, while both BMW and Volkswagen will bring diesel cars to US showrooms this fall. But while foreign automakers are trying to entice consumers to buy the performance and fuel economy of diesel, US automakers are shaking their heads. Diesel offers about a 30 to 35 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to gasoline, but the technology needed to meet stringent new emissions rules imposed here last year adds between two and three thousand dollars to the cost. In response to an onslaught of small cars from Asian automakers during the last oil crisis, US automakers rushed diesel engines to market which were so poorly designed they would break down after about 30,000 miles. read more

[Tags]diesel, automakers, economy, fuel, year, consumers, fuel economy[/Tags]

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