Originally Posted by MtViewGuy88
One of the secrets about diesel cars in Europe is that they have more generous emission regulations than here in the USA; that's why you still see some smoke coming out of turbodiesel engines in Europe. However, with the EU soon tightening up diesel emission regulations and the 2007 rules coming into effect in the USA, this is why the Mercedes-Benz Bluetec technology is so important; the specs for Bluetec pretty much eliminates all the smoke and the distinctly smelly exhaust of diesel engines thanks to improved particulate filters, better catalytic converters to remove NOx output, and urea gas injection into the exhaust stream to reduce NOx even further.
Honda's much-lauded i-CTDi turbodiesel engine sold in Europe is very well-liked because the engine has a very clean exhaust by diesel engine standards. This is why Honda has installed this engine in the European Honda Accord sedan/wagon, European Honda FR-V "tall wagon," European Honda CR-V small SUV and European Honda Civic five-door hatchback. Because of its high torque peak (something like 241 pound-foot at only 1800 rpm!), this engine has gives the car a lot of low-end acceleration power. Indeed, Steve Cropley of Autocar magazine wrote in a very recent commentary while he was driving a Porsche 911 Carrera (996 model) he could barely keep up with a Honda Accord sedan powered by the i-CTDi engine on a motorway (as freeways as known in the UK) onramp!
That's great, and I sincerely hope advancements in Diesel engine technology and biodiesel production make Diesel cars more popular in the US. When our family outgrows our current vehicles, my wife would like to buy a Honda Pilot. I'd love it if we could buy one with a non-stinky turbocharged Diesel V-6, instead of a gasoline engine, simply because of the fuel economy.
However, let's not get too carried away on the potential popularity of Diesels in the US. Take Germany for example. Roughly 50% of the cars sold here are Diesels. Gasoline costs about $5/US gallon. Diesel costs less.
Think about that for a minute.
That means that roughly 50% of Germans would rather pay $5/US gallon, AND get worse fuel economy, than drive a Diesel, which is cheaper to fill up, AND gets better fuel mileage.
Now, how do you propose to persuade Americans, who pay $2/US gallon, to pay more for a gallon of Diesel?
Here's my proposal. Put Diesel engines in the most popular SUVs and pickups. The Honda Pilot, Toyota 4Runner and FJ Cruiser, Nissan Pathfinder and Exterra, should all have a Diesel option. They'll never be as popular in the States as they are in Europe, because of all the artificial boosts European governments give Diesels, but they could very well take up 10-20% of total car sales, and maybe 40-50% of light truck sales.