US car makers demonstrated state-of- the-art diesel technology today on Capitol Hill in Washington and touted its potential to help meet the nation’s growing energy and environmental demands.
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The Clean Diesel Drive, co-organised by the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) and the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF), showcased more than a dozen clean diesel production and prototype vehicles – many of them never seen or driven before in the United States.
“We want top lawmakers and other government officials to experience first-hand how powerful, quiet, and clean a modern diesel vehicle can be,” said Bob Culver, executive director of USCAR, an umbrella organisation representing DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors. “Today’s clean diesel technology has made tremendous progress.”
In addition to its many performance and durability attributes, automakers noted that diesel has untapped potential in the U.S. market.
They would conserve fuel – diesel engines are on average 30 to 40 % more fuel-efficient than comparable petrol-powered engines. Four of the seven most fuel-efficient vehicles sold in the US are diesel powered, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The car makers also argue that diesels would improve energy security in the US – a 30% penetration of clean diesel technology in the passenger vehicle market by 2020 would reduce net crude oil imports by 350,000 barrels per day, according to the US Department of Energy. Such a reduction is equivalent to approximately half the total energy used each day in California.
The diesel proponents also say because the engines are inherently more fuel efficient, they emit 20 to 40% fewer greenhouse gases than comparable petrol engines.
“Diesel engines are a proven, efficient and readily available technology that can reduce fuel consumption and improve our energy security today,” said DTF executive director, Allen Schaeffer.
“And thanks to cleaner burning engines, lower sulphur fuel and better emissions control technology, diesel is on a path of continuous environmental improvement.”
While less than 2% of all U.S. passenger vehicles are powered by diesel engines – the smallest percentage of any industrialised country – diesel now accounts for over one-third of all new vehicle sales in Europe.
In the luxury and premium sectors, high-performance diesel engines make up over 70 percent of all new European sales.
“Clean diesel makes a lot of sense,” concluded Culver, “Especially for popular sport utility vehicles and other light trucks, which now make up more than half of all new US sales.”
