Cleaner diesels to enter U.S. in 2008
Germany’s two largest automakers are developing a fleet of diesel-powered cars and trucks that could be sold in California as early as 2008.
DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen said Tuesday that their Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, VW and Audi brands were designing nearly a dozen cars and sport utility vehicles with diesel engines using an emission-cleaning technology called Bluetec.
Diesels account for almost half of all new passenger vehicle sales in Europe, where concern about greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy has been much greater than in the U.S. But they account for just 2% of the U.S. new-car market and can’t be sold in California because they don’t meet the state’s emission standards, which are stricter than federal limits.
With California accounting for about 10% of all new-car sales, selling diesel models in the Golden State is crucial for an industry increasingly criticized for failing to produce fuel-efficient cars and trucks.
Diesels can achieve 25% to 40% greater fuel economy than comparable gasoline engines but typically cost $1,000 to $2,000 more. In addition, they have a reputation for noise, odor and sooty emissions, in part because diesel fuel here has contained hundreds of times more sulfur than European diesel.
But new federal rules resulted in the October debut of low-sulfur diesel across the U.S., and diesel engine design has been greatly improved because of development work in Europe.
The diesels’ better fuel economy also would help the automakers meet California’s restrictions on emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the so-called greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Those restrictions, enacted by the legislature last year, call for a 25% reduction in automotive greenhouse gases. They are being challenged in federal court by the auto industry in a case set to begin trial in January.
Carbon dioxide is formed as gasoline, diesel or other carbon-based fuel is burned; the more efficient an engine, the less carbon dioxide it emits.
DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen announced their plan in Hollywood on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show, which begins media previews today and opens Friday to the public.
An environmental group called Jumpstart Ford plans to stage protests outside the auto show’s 12-day run at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The group is criticizing automakers for giving lip service to fuel efficient technologies while continuing to produce large pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles with conventional gasoline engines.
The Bluetec emission-cleaning technology was developed by Mercedes-Benz to meet the new U.S. diesel emission standards. The system uses special filters to trap particulate matter that causes sooty emissions.
To meet California standards, a special catalytic converter or a device to inject ammonia-based liquid into the fuel stream will be added to reduce smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions.
Mercedes-Benz debuted a trio of Bluetec-equipped cars last month -- an E320 sedan, an ML sport utility and an R-Class sport wagon, and said it intended to add the system to its GL sport utility next year. Those vehicles are sold in 45 states where emission rules aren’t as strict as in California.
Chrysler said its initial Bluetec diesel would be a Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. Volkswagen intends to use a 4-cylinder diesel in its Jetta sedan and a new small SUV called the Tiguan in 2008, and diesel versions of its Touareg large SUV and Passat midsize sedan by 2009. Audi is expected to launch a diesel vehicle in 2008.
