Diesel sales surge in U.S.
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The price difference is significant, especially when taken in light of the stronger fuel efficiency of most diesel engines. According to the Department of Energy, the average price for a gallon diesel as of June 22 is $2.61, while the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $2.69. If your car requires premium, that'll be another $0.25 or so - but you already knew that.
So now that it's not just more efficient, but also cheaper, to drive a diesel, it's no surprise that Americans are flocking to the few carmakers that offer them. In fact, Volkswagen saw a rise of 71% in sales of the Jetta TDI between April and May, reports AutoWeek. They are expecting to do just as well or better in June.
Mercedes-Benz is also benefiting hugely from the sales trend, in part because it offers both the M-Class and GL-Class SUVs with diesel powertrains, in addition to the R-Class crossover. Between the three, Mercedes has sold about 15,000 diesels so far this year in the U.S.
BMW could also see some benefit from the lower fuel prices thanks to its offering of the 335d and X5 xDrive 35d. Those vehicles, along with the Volkswagen and Mercedes models, are also eligible for a tax break of between $900 and $1,800 under a provision of the Lean Burn bill.
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Maybe from European brands, most American car comapnies and the Japanese are shying away from their diesel plans, Ford says it can get the same diesel milage from its future turbo GDI engines for one example.
If Ford can get the diesel fuel economy from a gasoline engine what is the point of offering a diesel? You don't have to convince someone to buy a gasoline engine or overcome the diesel stigma. I like my VW TDI but if gasoline engines offered the same fuel economy I would gladly purchase the gasoline model.
If Ford can get the diesel fuel economy from a gasoline engine what is the point of offering a diesel? You don't have to convince someone to buy a gasoline engine or overcome the diesel stigma. I like my VW TDI but if gasoline engines offered the same fuel economy I would gladly purchase the gasoline model.
Diesels have a longer engine life and are more durable because they are made from stronger materials, there are still some advatages to diesels over gas engines for such reasons.
Diesels are more durable in order to handle the increase combustion pressures from the compression ignition process. There is no reason that a gasoline engine couldn't be built to the same standard and any gasoline engine that comes close to the efficiency of a diesel would need to be similarly built. Plus the days of diesel's with cast-iron blocks are coming to an end. More and more diesels are using lighter-duty components to save weight and spin to higher RPM. BMW is an excellent example of this trend.
Diesels are more durable in order to handle the increase combustion pressures from the compression ignition process. There is no reason that a gasoline engine couldn't be built to the same standard and any gasoline engine that comes close to the efficiency of a diesel would need to be similarly built. Plus the days of diesel's with cast-iron blocks are coming to an end. More and more diesels are using lighter-duty components to save weight and spin to higher RPM. BMW is an excellent example of this trend.
Considering that gas engines are using lighter aluminum and such I doubt it
However, the only way engine manufacturers are going to get diesel efficiency from a gasoline engine is using compression ignition using HCCI technology. This requires very high compression ratios just like a diesel engine. Therefore the entire gasoline engine will need to be built more robustly to handle that increased compression. I have no doubt that HCCI engines will need to be just as robust as diesel engines and therefore last just as long as diesel engines.
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