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Mon 1 May, 2006 06:43 am
"The number of diesel cars, trucks and sport untilities on U.S. roads rose 80 percent between 2000 and 2005 as more vehicles hit the market and more buyers chose diesels as an option according to data compiled by a diesel advocacy group.
There were 543,777 new diesel vehicles registered in 2005 compared to301,471 five years earlier, according to data compiled by the Southfield based auto information company R. L. Polk & released by the Diesel Technology Forum. 40 percent of buyers chose disel when that option was available. That number rose to 45 percent in 2005. Diesels represented about 3.6 percent of all new vehicles in the U.S. market 2005 up from 2.3 percent in 2000."
Detroit Free Press, April 27
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"Hybrid sales in the US closed out the year with strong December results of 18,238 total units sold, pushing to the total number of hybrids sold in the US in 2005 to 205,749.
Hybrids thus represented 1.2% of the total 1,477,697 light duty vehicles sold in the US in December, as well as 1.2% of the total 16,950,679 vehicles sold during the year."
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Well, it seems that the American consumer is not buying into the Hybrid. At least not at this early start of competition. I can't think of another product that has ever received such positive, uncritical reviews. There were glowing reports of how it was going to save America. Particularly, the overstating of miles per gallon on the highway.
Ironic, that a tax break is given to buyer's of hybrids which is in essence a subsidy not just to the buyer, but the Toyota Corporation as well. When diesel fuel is mandated to be "very low sulfur," I believe the environmental concern will fade away.
For several years VW has made a 4 cylinder diesel car, the Lupo, that gets in the 70's mpg on diesel fuel and achieved, in a around the world rally, an average of 99 mpg. The car, which seats four, is small and cramped. But they might be all right for trips under an hour or so.
I have ridde in a car called "Smart Car." It is comfortable and roomy enough for two six footers. The company advertises that it is suitable for two persons and one bag of groceries. The car is an unbelievable rethinking of what a car can be. Roomy enough for two six-footers They are popular all over Europe. They have passed all safety crash tests. Thehy are sold in Canada. Why aren't they sold here?
I'm rather sure, they'll stop the smart production in some time - have already stopped to produce four-seater and the cabrio.
They aren't that popular here.
The Lupo is a car, you can travel of course longer than for a hour - but its isn't motorised enough for European taste. :wink:
(Although the latest models are really fast - but don't get such a mileage.)
There's a couple of GOOD reasons why Diseals and biofuel will take off here- in the end it will be cheaper, more convenient and easier to buy/mantain one of those cars than the current hybrid technology.
Hybrid technology in the US has done very little other than increase the bottom line for a few manufacturers. Most the advantages behind the hybrid drives have improved little in the way of fuel economy and only served to make their cars faster (thinking about the Accord here in particular!).
The current projections I've seen so far sounds something like this: you'd have to own most hybrid cars for 10 years and a LOT of miles to make up the money you spent extra on the hybrid and the money you saved by buying the hybrid.
Its about time diesels are coming into the popularity I think they deserve. More BTUs per gallon, much simpler mechanically, and (with 2008 EPA standards coming soon) just as clean as gas; in fact - cleaner in some aspects.
curtis73- I'll agree with that- to an extent.
Diesels have come a long way from the sputtering noisey technology that we saw the Big Three produce in the 70s and 80s. You're right, they get superior gas mileage and with a little more technology can probably run even cleaner than they do already. That said, diesel is not that much cheaper than petrol and it still does not decrease our dependence on crude oil products significantly.
It's certainly a great stop-gap measure (much like E85 and other hybrid technologies that currently exist) but its certainly not a long term solution.
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