Additional Resources Save and Share See a list of diesel cars, pickups and SUVs available in the U.S.   Learn more about diesel hybrid power Interested in alternative fuels? Visit discoveralternatives.org.

 

   Email This

   Print This

   Subscribe

Today’s diesel cars, trucks and SUVs are clean, quiet and fun to drive. They also deliver superior fuel economy – typically 20% to 40% better than a comparable gasoline vehicle – without requiring drivers to sacrifice the power and performance Americans demand.

More Americans are discovering diesel as an alternative fuel option. Annual registration of diesel passenger vehicles has grown by 80%, from just over 300,000 in 2000 to nearly 550,000 in 2005. And most analysts expect this trend to continue.

Researchers at J.D. Power and Associates predict that diesel sales will triple in the next 10 years, growing to more than 10% of U.S. vehicle sales by 2015 - up from 3.6% in 2005.

Greater use of diesel technology would help the U.S. reduce petroleum consumption and improve energy security. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that America could save up to 1.4 million barrels of oil per day – an amount equivalent to the oil we currently import from Saudi Arabia – if one-third of U.S. cars, pickup trucks and SUVs were diesel-powered.

Want Even More Petroleum Reduction?

In addition to its inherent fuel efficiency, diesel can help reduce petroleum consumption even further through:

Biodiesel – Diesel drivers have the option to fill up with blends of biodiesel – a domestically produced, renewable fuel. Most engine and vehicle manufacturers have agreed to provide warranty coverage on the use of B5 (meaning a mixture of petroleum-based diesel fuel and 5% biodiesel) and are actively working with biodiesel representatives to resolve outstanding concerns on the quality and performance of higher blends.

Diesel hybrid technology – Diesel hybrids hold the promise of significant
efficiency gains for commercial vehicles. By combining a smaller, fuel-efficient clean diesel engine with an advanced electric or hydraulic system, hybrid buses and delivery vehicles have demonstrated significantly improved fuel economy, along with reduced exhaust emissions and enhanced performance.