BMW will introduce a mild hybrid diesel concept vehicle—based on the BMW X5—at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March. The seven-passenger vehicle, which will utilize a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine, promises 36 miles to the gallon and 200 horsepower. "This is no pie-in-the-sky project," said Klaus Draeger, head of development at BMW. "All of the features are production-feasible."
For the fifth consecutive year, Honda's natural gas-powered Civic GX took top honors as the greenest vehicle, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The rest of the list of greenest cars is dominated by hybrids and small vehicles.
Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra plans to introduce a diesel-hybrid pickup truck for sale in the U.S. by 2010. The pickup would become the first diesel-hybrid to hit the light-duty market in the United States.
General Motors announced a $69 million investment in an engine plant in Moraine, Ohio, to produce a cleaner, more advanced version of the Duramax diesel engine. The engine is intended for the Chevrolet Suburban, the Hummer H2, and the full-range of GM pickup trucks and full-size vans.
Diesel engine vehicles are on the rise, and could overtake hybrids as the darlings of the green car world. Dr. Johannes-Joerg Rueger, vice president of engineering for diesel systems for Robert Bosch LLC, believes that diesel vehicles are a practical and feasible next step for improving mpg in the United States.
A new study by Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research showed that only six percent of new-car shoppers in the US think that diesel can succeed in becoming a mainstream powertrain for the future.
While green car enthusiasts wait for the next generation of hybrids that use different fuel sources or rely more on electricity, big cities are now placing orders for buses that combine hybrid controls, diesel engines, and electric drives. Yesterday, Daimler AG received an order for 850 of its Orion VII hybrid diesel-electric buses from MTA, the agency that oversees public transit in New York. The new order will double the MTA’s diesel hybrid bus fleet to 1,700, making it the largest in the world.
If chatter on the Internet is any indication of market trends, then clean diesel technology will become a strong contender in the world of green motoring. In a report entitled, “Shaping the Future of Automotive Engine Technology,” BrandIntel, a market research firm, analyzed the volume and sentiment of online discussions about eco-friendly transportation. The firm concluded that U.S. consumers are starting to see diesel as a viable alternative to hybrid and gas-powered vehicles.
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says the lung function of people with asthma is harmed by the effects of diesel traffic pollution. A British medical research team is the first to study the health effects of diesel exhaust in a real-life setting.
via Science Daily
December 7, 2007
An efficient, new Audi clean diesel powertrain that achieved top honors at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai last week, is headed to the U.S. in 2008. The Challenge is an annual event, sponsored by the tire company, which promotes the development of sustainable transportation.
via Motor Authority
November 27, 2007
