Diesel Could Be The Fuel Of Choice

?Diesel Could Be The Fuel Of Choice

Nissan is working towards developing a diesel line of the Maxima somewhere around 2010. Other companies are also considering using diesel in their future car offerings. Unlike the cars of the past diesel engines have developed and progressed past what was offered in the old days. Diesel engines are now more fuel efficient, quiet and reliable than they ever were.

Diesel is now 25% to 35% more fuel efficient than gasoline. With the advent of biodiesel this ration may run well over 40%. This increased fuel efficiency will help save money, reduce overall emissions and lower the demand/usage of gasoline. Having more diesel cars will reduce some of the pressure and demand on gasoline engines which could lower gasoline prices.

Let us say a Ford Ranger Pick-up gets about 19 miles per gallon on the highway and can drive about 380 miles on a tank of gasoline. With a diesel engine the truck could drive approximately 513 miles on a tank of diesel. If current gasoline prices were 3.15 per gallon the cost of filling up this truck would be around $63. The current diesel price is around $2.80 per gallon which would cost the owner of this truck around $56 to fill up the tank. Not only does a diesel owner save about 7 dollars per tank but they are able to drive an additional 133 miles.

Of all the cars in Europe nearly 50% have diesel engines while only 1% of all U.S. cars are diesel. This means there is much more room to grow the diesel market in this country. Biodiesel which is made out of plants and vegetables could spark a green revolution in this country. What better way to save money and use clean fuel than to fill up your tank with vegetables?

The desire to develop alternatives to gasoline, the possible environment problems associated with fossil fuels, and the wars in the Middle East have encouraged automobile manufacturers to start developing alternatives. American automakers have a chance to really change around their declining status by delving into high-tech, alternative energy vehicles with all of their strength and might in order to surpass the leading Japanese companies. With many of the American-European mergers of the last 20 years this diesel revolution may actually give U.S. companies an advantage.