Advanced Clean Diesel Vehicles Ready to Meet Future Fuel Economy and Clean Air Goals

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. is pushing to increase passenger car mileage and decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and advanced clean diesel vehicles can play a key role in achieving efficiency and environmental gains. However, new government policies may hinder current technological advances. A Congressional briefing hosted by the Diesel Technology Forum and U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars highlighted the benefits of clean diesel vehicles, which have undergone significant evolution in recent years. With reductions in sulfur in diesel fuel and improvements in emissions controls, clean diesel vehicles are now available in the market, providing impressive hybrid-like mileage and meeting emissions standards as gasoline vehicles.

Key Takeaways:

  • Clean diesel vehicles have undergone a 97 percent reduction in sulfur in diesel fuel and more than 98 percent reductions in particulate matter and NOx.
  • The U.S. has a variety of diverse fuel type vehicles to choose from, including turbo-charged gasoline, hybrids, plug-in hybrid-electrics, battery electric vehicles, natural gas, and clean diesels.
  • Clean diesel passenger vehicles with proven real-world fuel efficiency are available in the market, providing great performance, low CO2 emissions, and are renewable fuel ready.
  • The diesel market is expected to grow from its current three percent market share to as much as 10 percent by 2020.
  • New diesel vehicles available today are "clean, efficient and powerful" with 20 to 40 percent better fuel efficiency than gasoline vehicles.
  • Four of Volkswagen's six diesel vehicles exceeded a 30 percent "take rate" - the percentage of diesels customers chose when a gasoline version is also available.
  • The "real world driving experience" of diesels includes an analysis of self-reported fuel economy, demonstrating a majority of diesel users reporting fuel economy above the mileage on EPA window stickers.

Statistics:

  • 97 percent reduction in sulfur in diesel fuel
  • More than 98 percent reduction in particulate matter and NOx
  • Three percent current market share of diesel vehicles
  • 10 percent expected market share of diesel vehicles by 2020
  • 20 to 40 percent better fuel efficiency of new diesel vehicles compared to gasoline vehicles
  • 30 percent "take rate" of diesel vehicles out of six available options
  • 261 miles per gallon efficiency of Volkswagen's XL1 vehicle

Sources:

  • Diesel Technology Forum (http://www.dieselforum.org/)
  • U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars (http://cleandieseldelivers.com/)
  • Cummins Inc.
  • Volkswagen
  • Green Car Journal
  • Cars.com