Dead Diesels: Six automakers reportedly kill plans for oil burners

Dead Diesels: Six automakers reportedly kill plans for oil burners

Filed under: Tech, Chrysler, LLC., Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan, Toyota



Diesel's near-term prospects in America took a huge hit with the revelation that nine diesel-powered 2010 models are on hold. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have put the kibosh on rolling out more oil burners due to cost and perception issues.

Toyota's obviously on a hybrid run and doesn't want to expel the effort or expense of investing in diesel for the American market -- and having to overcome America's dirty diesel perceptions. The others, as mass market manufacturers, simply need more justification for the cost and complexity of oilburners in order to make the case for consumers to spend more.

Additionally, diesel's benefits are weighted differently according to EPA or CAFE standards. The EPA mileage numbers present diesels well, but CAFE's differing fuel mileage equation makes gas-hybrids look better than diesels, and CAFE is something all automakers are looking at. However, you'll notice that German brands aren't mentioned -- their price premium and European diesel volumes make a worthwhile case for diesels, so those diesel Jetta Sportwagons won't be going away any time soon.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]Dead Diesels: Six automakers reportedly kill plans for oil burners originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Can someone translate that to gearhead terms?

lolololol diesels costs more, people are fucking cheap, we think that will be a bad sell, lololol fuck diesel, sweet night prince *get me my V16 quad turbo 2 1/2 km limo, k thx bye*

i was hoping for a tundra diesel. it would be able to tow anything and get a lot better mileage than the standard v8. i still don't understand why someone doesn't combine hybrid technology with a diesel. is there something i am missing that can't join the two? diesels get amazing gas mileage and if combined to be a hybrid i don't see why it wouldn't sell.

Its all about the American perception that diesel cars are going to have smoke coming out of the exaust, and that automatically makes thenm bad for the environment. Apperently hybrids are so much "greener". But what they don't tell you is that the pollution created in mining the elements for the batteries is greater than driving a truck. I've always been a huge fan of diesels, but I don't trust VW's. I'm waiting for some else to come out with one. An iQ diesel would be sweet, but I would love a Camry diesel.

lolololol pz diesel.

Same here - was waiting for Toyota or other import to introduce a diesel engine to provide some competition to VW's current offering. Domestic market already has large, purpose built diesel trucks, but I was looking for something along the lines of a commuter work/car.

They do make Hybrid diesels - but their operation is different than gasoline powered ones, due to the already higher efficiency of the diesel engine. UPS is planning to test out several Hydraulic Hybrid trucks. Link here:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/10/ups-hydraulic-h/

Basically use the truck's diesel engine to run a pump - which in turn replaces the conventional drivetrain. Not a new idea - lots of specilized vehicles and military apps use this tech. In a sense, this tech pre-dated conventional engine designs (gasoline/diesel).

that's what most large ships are, as well as diesel trains, its very easy to build a diesel generator to run an electric motor... just not cost effective for the consumer market