danix
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2000
- Location
- Raleigh, NC
- TDI
- None now. Former: 2011 335d, 2010 Jetta TDI, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon. 99.5 Jetta TDI, 98 NB TDI, 3 different black 96 Passat TDI wagons.
Associated Press
DaimlerChrysler to Test Diesel SUV
Monday November 25, 7:20 pm ET
By Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Business Writer
DaimlerChrysler to Test Diesel-Powered Jeep Liberty in the United States Starting in 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- In an effort to increase the fuel efficiencies in the cars it brings to market, DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler division plans to test a diesel-powered Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicle in North America starting in 2004.
The Liberty marks Chrysler's first diesel-powered passenger car to be sold in the United States. DaimlerChrysler currently offers diesel engines in its Dodge Ram heavy duty trucks in North America.
The introduction also marks the first light-duty sport utility vehicle with a diesel-powered engine to go on sale in the United States.
The company expects to produce 5,000 units in 2004, said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive, in an address at the company's technology convention on Monday.
The price has not been set, company officials said. But Bernard I. Robertson, senior vice president of Engineering Technologies & Regulatory Affairs at the company said that "it is my guess that we will end up subsidizing the diesel" for now.
While DaimlerChrysler has explored other types of power, including hybrid forms, which mixes electric and gas, company executives believe that diesel has more promise. It's expected to cost far less to increase the fuel efficiencies of diesel engines than other types of alternative engines.
"The best way to show our commitment to work together is to bring a modern, clean diesel passenger vehicle to market," Zetsche said.
Still, there's a lot of work that needs to be done to get diesel fuel more energy efficient. The auto industry has been pressing oil refineries to distribute the same kind of high quality, low-sulfur diesel fuel to the United States as found in Europe.
Currently, diesel oil in the United States contains 330 parts per million of sulfur, more than six times the amount found in Europe, DaimlerChrysler executives said.
Diesel fuel in the United States does not currently meet federal standards on the limits of oxides of nitrogen emissions and other soot particles expected to be implemented in 2006.
About 35 percent of passenger cars in Europe have diesel engines, according to Ann Smith, a company spokeswoman. Zetsche said that the United States could reduce its oil use by approximately 800 million gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by eight million tons annually, if Americans purchased diesel-powered cars at the same rate as Europeans.
However, Zetsche acknowledged that diesel fuel still faces an image problem, citing failed efforts by auto companies to launch diesel-powered vehicles back in the 1980s that turned off consumers because they were smelly and loud.
"Decades of bad publicity have followed diesel for so long," Zetsche said.
DaimlerChrysler to Test Diesel SUV
Monday November 25, 7:20 pm ET
By Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Business Writer
DaimlerChrysler to Test Diesel-Powered Jeep Liberty in the United States Starting in 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- In an effort to increase the fuel efficiencies in the cars it brings to market, DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler division plans to test a diesel-powered Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicle in North America starting in 2004.
The Liberty marks Chrysler's first diesel-powered passenger car to be sold in the United States. DaimlerChrysler currently offers diesel engines in its Dodge Ram heavy duty trucks in North America.
The introduction also marks the first light-duty sport utility vehicle with a diesel-powered engine to go on sale in the United States.
The company expects to produce 5,000 units in 2004, said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive, in an address at the company's technology convention on Monday.
The price has not been set, company officials said. But Bernard I. Robertson, senior vice president of Engineering Technologies & Regulatory Affairs at the company said that "it is my guess that we will end up subsidizing the diesel" for now.
While DaimlerChrysler has explored other types of power, including hybrid forms, which mixes electric and gas, company executives believe that diesel has more promise. It's expected to cost far less to increase the fuel efficiencies of diesel engines than other types of alternative engines.
"The best way to show our commitment to work together is to bring a modern, clean diesel passenger vehicle to market," Zetsche said.
Still, there's a lot of work that needs to be done to get diesel fuel more energy efficient. The auto industry has been pressing oil refineries to distribute the same kind of high quality, low-sulfur diesel fuel to the United States as found in Europe.
Currently, diesel oil in the United States contains 330 parts per million of sulfur, more than six times the amount found in Europe, DaimlerChrysler executives said.
Diesel fuel in the United States does not currently meet federal standards on the limits of oxides of nitrogen emissions and other soot particles expected to be implemented in 2006.
About 35 percent of passenger cars in Europe have diesel engines, according to Ann Smith, a company spokeswoman. Zetsche said that the United States could reduce its oil use by approximately 800 million gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by eight million tons annually, if Americans purchased diesel-powered cars at the same rate as Europeans.
However, Zetsche acknowledged that diesel fuel still faces an image problem, citing failed efforts by auto companies to launch diesel-powered vehicles back in the 1980s that turned off consumers because they were smelly and loud.
"Decades of bad publicity have followed diesel for so long," Zetsche said.
