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?
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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
I own two VW diesels. One is a 2001 jetta, the other 1986 golf. The jetta i’ve owned since 75k. Check engine light went on when i bought it. Had it checked at dealership and the light was turned off. They said it was a vaccuum hose disconnected, YEAH right! The light came back on one month later. Car has 120k now and light is still on. I ignore. Learned from my dad who use to put black tape over it cause its annoying. THOSE LIGHTS ARE BULL! Both cars run on homemade bio half of the time. Change fuel filters every 20k and everything great. DIESELS ROCK
[...] liters of HFO annually), there is no reason this type of fuel couldn’t be used in a standard diesel engine with a bit of [...]
HI THIS IS JAYAKUMAR I HAD READ ALL THE COMMENTS I LIKE BMW WHERE THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE WORLDS BEST CAR
We are in the process of looking for another diesel Jetta. We own a 2000 Jetta 5 speed turbo, it has (are you ready) 300k miles on it and still runs great, heated seats, everything on this car still works. I just don’t understand why the newer diesel’s don’t get as good mileage as the older models ours 51 mpg. Also, I believe a manual drive last longer. We have the timing belt changed every 70k miles, that is about all the expense to a diesel and is VERY expensive through a VW dealership. Lucky for us we have a mechanic who works on nothing but diesel motors and charges moderate rates.
Mini Cooper/Clubman Cooper had a diesel on it boards since 2002, had a successful release in Europe, but is still dragging their heels on bringing it to our continent, presumably to determine if there is a market? Read the headlines MINI.
Here in australia diesel cars are very common and we have had 5 diesel 4wds and i have had no problem with them my current 4wd is a toyota prado it is the same as a gs470 but with diffrent headlights the diesel engine is a 3 litre 8 valve with overhead cam on it and it puts out about 140 hp and if i chip it i would get about 10 to 20% more hp and the taque 368 nm i dont know what that is the way the us pounds of taque we are very metric here in oz except when filling air into the tyers we still use psi. The diesel engine is very good to drive on the beach on with very soft sand because of the taque and i would get 8 to 10 litres per 100 km’s the engine is a in line 4 cylinder intercooler turbo diesel and another thing is that some taxi’s use diesel engines in them and they are in the vans called maxitaxi’s which is a van that cake 8 to 10 passengers or a wheel chair with other passengers with a 4 cylinder diesel or intercooled turbo diesel which a mainly toyota long wheel base vans and this is somthing they should do in the us and it would be very popular like in new york city or l.a. another thing about diesel 4wd’s that are very easy to drive in a manaul and my father had a manaul toyota landcruser turbo diesel 4.2 liter enging and i could do 2nd gear hill starts 80 series landcruser and 100 series landcruser is automatic 5 speed and driving at 100 km 60 miles an hour is at 1800 to 2100 rpm in 5th gear the prado 2200 at the same speed the top speed on the prado is 140 km per hour 80 miles per hour at around 3500 rpm
Finally…Choice…Diesel is now in line with reg petrol as of 2009. Options other than the TDI and the high end BMW and MB. Question though. Why isn’t the three (who make diesels in other countries) bringing them over to compete? Talk about bad decision after bad decision…