Clean Diesel Cars Coming to US This Fall: 2008-2010 Timeline
New diesels will get better mileage and have cleaner emissions than your average car. Pictured above: 2009 Jetta SportWagen 2L TDI Clean Diesel.
Later this year (see the timeline below), we will finally begin to see an influx of new model diesels in the United States. While diesels make up 50% of the market share of vehicles in Europe, they’re still trying to shrug off the stigma of being dirty, noisy beasts here in the US. So what changed?
- » See also: Teenage-Built Diesel Hybrid Does 0-60 in 4 Seconds, Soon to Break 100 MPG
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What are “clean” diesels?
In 2006, the EPA required the introduction of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), which removed a major polluting component of diesel fuel. Since sulfur would damage advanced emissions control systems, ULSD paved the way for better emissions control technology.
As early as August, we will start to see a new era of diesels that employ new technology to meet the strictest emissions standards in the world—BIN5/LEV II—which are enforced by 5 US states: California, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Vermont. BIN5/LEV II standards severely cap nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions (0.05 g/mile), one of the two tailpipe pollutants that have given diesels a bad rap (that and particulate matter).
Newer filters in these emissions systems trap particulate matter, while each model uses its own method to process NOx. Several models, including those from BMW, Mercedes, and Audi, will require the maintenance of a six- to eight-gallon tank of urea. The ammonia-rich solution (for example: Mercedes BlueTEC) is injected into exhaust to neutralize smog-forming nitrogen oxides. Since the urea tanks only require replenishing every 12,000 miles or so, inconvenience seems minimal, and some models, like Honda and VW diesels, meet emissions requirements without them.
While you might expect most of these diesels to get exceptional mileage, some of them do surprisingly poor. For example, the Mercedes and Audi models only get around 18/25 MPG (making this a good reason to continue to avoid SUVs). I know that the new emissions technology is supposed to negatively affect mileage, but 25 MPG is unimpressive, considering that VW’s Jetta BlueTDI got a road tested 60 MPG.
While the high price of diesel fuel is eating into some of the economic advantage of buying a new diesel vehicle, the difference is offset by mileage gains of 25 to 40% over comparable gas models. You might not see too much difference in sticker prices, either. Some models could cost $1,500 to $3,500 more for this new emissions control technology, but VW says its Jetta SportWagens could cost $2,000 less. Also be on the lookout for Federal tax credits that could be as large as $3,400 per vehicle.
When can we expect to see clean diesels in the US? Here’s the timeline:
1. Volkswagen
- When: August 2008
- Models: 2009 Jetta BlueTDI sedans and SportWagens
- Engine: 2-liter turbodiesel in-line 4
- Est. Mileage: 29/40 m.p.g. Sedan road tested at 60 MPG.
- Est. Base Price: $22,000 to $25,000
2. Mercedes
- When: November 2008
- Models: Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetec, other GL-, ML- and R-Class sport crossover utilities (and someday: Vision GLK BlueTec diesel hybrid).
- Engine: 3-liter turbodiesel V-6
- EPA Mileage: 18/24 m.p.g.
- Est. Base Price: $46,000
3. BMW
- When: Fall 2008
- Models: 335d sedan and X5 35d sport wagon
- Engine: variable twin-turbo 6-cylinder
- Est. Mileage: ?
- Est. Base Price: ?
4. Audi
When: January 2009
- Models: Q7 3.0 TDI utility wagon
- Engine: 3-liter turbodiesel V-6
- Est. Mileage: 18/25 m.p.g.
- Est. Base Price: $53,000
5. Honda (yes it’s true)
- When: 2009
- Models: Acura TSX sedan, other models could follow
- Engine: 2.2-liter i-DTEC
- Est. Mileage: 34/53 MPG
- Est. Base Price: ?
7. General Motors/Ford/Dodge
- When: 2009 or 2010
- Models: Light-duty pickup trucks
8. Nissan
- When: 2010
- Models: Maxima sedan
9. Subaru
- When: 2010
- Models: Legacy sedan or Outback wagon
- Engine: 2-liter turbodiesel flat 4
- Est. Mileage: 33/47 m.p.g. (Outback)
- Est. Base Price: $28,000 (Outback)
Header Photo Credit: VW
For more, see: Diesel Engines Clean Up for an Encore (New York Times)
Posts Related to Clean Diesels:
- 2009 Jetta BlueTDI Comes to US This Summer, Sports 60 MPG and Cleaner Emissions
- Sorry Folks, VW Diesel Electric Hybrid Not Coming to US
- Mercedes 40-MPG Diesel Hybrid: Cleanest SUV on the Planet
- The World’s Most Fuel Efficient Car: 285 MPG, Not A Hybrid
- Biodiesel Guide: 7 Steps to Buying a Diesel
Why are the spec.’s showing a mileage of 33/46 and then say 60 mpg road tested. Where would they test other than the road. And if the dyno test schedule shows 33/46 but the road test 60 mpg, something is not right here. Someone must have screwed up in the advertising department.
Come on, guys, get real and tell us what we can really expect.
Fritz,
There is a bit of discrepancy among mileage calculations. VW said they got 60 mpg with the Jetta Sedan in a road test. The mileage listed there is for the Sportwagen.
I’d love to get my hands on one of the Subaru AWD diesel’s at 47 mpg hwy. I live in MN and with our winters I always buy an AWD. No AWD even comes close to that kind of mileage right now. Even my Honda CRV only gets 29 mpg hwy on a good warm summer day.
[...] of the new common rail fuel injection systems, which also could apparently impact the ability of new clean diesels to meet NOx emissions [...]
Oh, Yes, I didn’t mention cheverolet has an electric car in betta testing called the Volt. So it can be done. So US auto factories can make all the electric cars they can sell with present tech and improving tech follows.Again get congress off the backs of free enterprise as regarding regs that just hinder progress and let the economy heal on its own.
The problem with the price of gas is not, nor will it ever be supply. It is demand !! Let me explain: The Ford Model T got 25 mpg way back 100 years ago. Engine then were not nearly as efficient as today’s clean diesels… so, why only 60 mpg ?
Demand from the user for energy. That 1978 diesel Rabbit I had got 50 mpg doing 75 mph. But, my demands on it were small - no power steering pump, no vacuum pump, no power anything. Simply a diesel engine turning an over-drive manual trans in less than 2,000 of bulk. Today, try to find any car w/o power steering / brakes, etc. All these things take energy. So, our DEMAND is the problem. We have not demanded they sell us the clean super high MPG small diesels they sell to the rest of the world.
So, we deserve $6 per gallon gas !! Really.
I have a Dodge 01 4×4 diesel and it’s nice to drive, I bought it to pull a 5th wheel, you need the muscle to tackle the rocky mountains. The gas……don’t ask you know what I mean, 10 to 11 miles city and 16 to 18 hwy, soooooooo lets make an air truck and invent a lighter trail trailer to pull it. sounds great!!!!
P.S. I haven’t bought the 5th wheel because of the gas prices.
John, Correction the new Jetta engine have been in Europe since 2004, common rail injection system. VW used this engine in the AUDI A4, and they are still using it. The only difference is the added Catalytic converter system to clean up the NOx in the exhaust. And that is one of the reason the the Jetta did not score well in the EPA test (29MPG city/ 40 hwy). The Catalytic converter is too restrictive, plus the system rely on injecting diesel fuel directly in the exhaust system to get rid of the NOx.
I own a 2004 Jetta TDI with more than 90k miles on the odometer and love it. It is very dependable. At 90k I had the timing belt changed (along with the water pump and the other suggested preventative maintenance for the timing belt change) and expect to go another 90k miles. Very few times have I smelled any diesel fumes. No one that rides in the car even knows that it is a diesel until I tell them.
I am looking forward to buying the new Jetta diesel and giving my wife the 2004.
I’ve heard cadillac will sell a model with its european v6 diesel in the us. true? when? Thanks! harley rice