A senior figure at Bosch Motor Corporation claimed yesterday (8th October) that he expects the number of diesel vehicles in the US to rise rapidly over the next seven years.

Dr Johannes-Joerg Rueger, Vice-President for diesel engineering at the German company's US unit, has explained that diesel's share of the market could rise to 15 per cent by 2015 from today's levels of five to six per cent.

He has attributed the increased popularity to the vehicles providing greater fuel economy (40 miles per gallon extra) and their ability to offer 25 per cent less CO2 emissions.

He said: "Basically, it's a fuel economy, especially these days of course, that's interesting for everybody.

"They will be hip in the US, as they are in Europe with a roughly 50 per cent share, now that the technology is available which allows them to be compliant with very tight North American emission regulations."

Dr Rueger also explained that the US's move to ultra-low sulphur fuel is ahead of schedule, with currently compliance standing at 94 per cent ahead of the 100 per cent requirement to be met by 2010.

He added that advances in common rail technology have been the biggest development for diesel vehicles, while particulate filters have been introduced recently and US automakers now have systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.



Source:

Bosch's Johannes-Joerg Rueger On Why Diesel Engines Are Hip (08/10/08)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121633031942163481.html?mod=googlenews_wsj