Honda Motor Co. is developing diesel engines for large light-duty vehicles in the United States.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui says Honda's diesels, already used in Europe, do not meet U.S. and Japanese emissions rules "at a reasonable cost."

"But in the near future, it will be possible" to meet those regulations, Fukui told Automotive News in an interview here. He declined to specify how soon.

Honda sells Accords with 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engines in Europe. Fukui would not say what other diesel sizes are in development.

Fukui has said that Honda could offer a V-6 diesel in North America.

He predicts Honda will offer a range of high-mileage powertrains, depending on the vehicle's size.

"Looking at Honda's lineup, for the smaller, more compact cars, it should be hybrids," he says. "But for the larger ones, it would be more towards environmentally friendly diesel."

Source: www.autoweek.com