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Cleaner Diesel Makes For More Tempting Cars

By Charles Osgood and Bianca Solorzano

CHARLES OSGOOD reporting:

New government rules are now in effect for diesel fuel, making diesel engines burn significantly cleaner by sharply reducing the sulfur content. And that could make diesel the coming thing. The story after this for OnStar from GM.

(Announcements)

Mr. RICHARD KASSEL: This spot right here is the highest level of diesel pollution anywhere in the country.

OSGOOD: Richard Kassel of the Natural Resources Defense Council has been campaigning for cleaner diesel for years, says CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano.

BIANCA SOLORZANO reporting:

The NRDC ran ads to convince New York officials to spend $300 million to use environmentally-friendly diesel buses. Since they hit the streets six years ago, the soot from city buses has dropped 85 percent.

OSGOOD: And now, with these new regulations affecting all diesel fuel, says Kassel...

Mr. KASSEL: What we're seeing is a serious air pollution problem that's on its way to being solved.

OSGOOD: Diesel cars already account for half the car sales in Europe, and new models are being introduced here that JD Power and Associates predicts will triple the market for diesels here. Says Jon Linkov of Consumer Reports:

Mr. JON LINKOV: No longer are the days of seeing a vehicle merge in front of you spewing soot and smoke and then it can't get out of its own way. These are powerful vehicles that have good long legs for cruising.

OSGOOD: And a big reason for a spike in diesel sales, says correspondent Solorzano:

SOLORZANO: Diesel has a big advantage over gasoline. While it costs roughly the same as gas, it goes a lot farther. If a Mercedes travels 500 miles on gas, the diesel model will go an extra 200 miles, and that may make these new models more attractive if gas price continue to soar.

OSGOOD: THE OSGOOD FILE. Charles Osgood on the CBS Radio network.