Nissan unveiled the Infiniti Essence concept car at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday signaling its intention to produce the first vehicle to combine hybrid and diesel technologies. The luxury fantasy comes complete with lithium ion batteries and Louis Vuitton luggage designed specifically for the Infiniti Essence.
The Honda Civic GX, a vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas, was named last week as the greenest car of the year by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. But the most dramatic trend this year was the emergence of two Chevy cars on the top ten list—and the introduction of clean diesel vehicles.
Two clean diesel vehicles from BMW have qualified for the federal “Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle Tax Credit.” Buyers of the 335d sedan will be eligible for up to $900, and X5 xDrive35d buyers will receive up to $1,800.
Proving that the global economic crisis can’t thwart the American entrepreneurial spirit, the South Carolina-based maker of amphibious vehicles is building a three-wheeled plug-in diesel hybrid. According to inventor John Giljam, the vehicle will have an all-electric range of 50 miles before using any liquid fuel. Based on testing of a pure diesel version that achieves more than 65 mpg, Giljam said, “We would be getting 130 to 150 miles to the gallon with the plug-in hybrid model."
Hybrid and electric cars stole the limelight at the opening of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, running January 17 to 25. But don’t believe for a second that petroleum-powered cars are dead. German carmakers are continuing their push for clean diesel, another technology competing for green car buyers.
Audi announced at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show that its 2010 A3 2.0 TDI will be coming to the US early next year. The diesel hatchback, which participated in the Audi Mileage Marathon last fall, averaged more than 45 miles per gallon over the course of the 4,000-mile journey.
Waste coffee grounds can provide a cheap, abundant, and environmentally friendly source of biodiesel fuel, according to a study by researchers at the University of Nevada-Reno. Scientists estimate that spent coffee grounds could potentially add 340 million gallons of biodiesel to the world’s fuel supply.
If you crave high gas mileage but aren’t a stickler about low emissions, then a European diesel-powered car will beat out a hybrid any day. The only problem: They are illegal in the US.
The BMW 335d clean diesel sedan arrives in showrooms this month, followed by the BMW X5 clean diesel SUV in January. Before the public has had a chance to decide on the value equation of its first two luxury diesel vehicles in the $40,000 to $50,000 price range, BMW is now considering an even more expensive clean diesel 7-series sedan.
The brand-new VW Jetta TDI diesel took the Green Car of the Year award at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Jetta TDI won based on its high fuel efficiency numbers—41 mpg on the highway and 30 in the city—and its price point of $21,900.
