Why European Diesel Cars Are Not Available in the U.S.

Different countries do have differing standards in regard to how much pollution gasoline and diesel automobile engines are allowed to emit, but the reason you see so fewer diesel cars in the U.S. is more of a choice by automakers than the product of a decree by regulators on either side of the Atlantic.

Since the advent of the automobile age in the U.S., gasoline has been king of the road; today upwards of 95 percent of passenger cars and light trucks on American roads are gas-powered. And the federal government has done its part to keep it that way, taxing diesel at a rate about 25 percent higher than gasoline. A recent assessment by the American Petroleum Institute, an oil industry trade group, found that federal taxes accounted for 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel but only 18.4 cents per gallon of gasoline.
Read Article

Joe_Limon - 6/7/2009 5:15:00 PM

-2 Boost

Diesel is still a dirtier fuel, charging 6% more taxes is a good thing if you care about emissions. And if you compare prices now they are pretty on par with each other.

abqhudson - 6/8/2009 8:33:13 PM

+1 Boost

Please explain how a Mercedes Bluetec diesel is dirtier than a Mercedes with a gasoline engine.

_43LE - 6/7/2009 10:50:47 PM

+2 Boost

huu, looked at who posted this story and it all makes sense...Mr. Euro-lover-only himself.

SpicyMikey - 6/8/2009 10:11:13 AM

0 Boost

I thought soot helped reduce global warming. It blocks sunlight from reaching the ground. In fact, I read an interesting article a few years ago where scientists saw a small but measurable bump up in the U.S. temperature after 9/11. They attributed it to the lack of soot and vapor clouds being created by the thousands of flights all over the country for those few days. Bottom line; particles in the air help reduce global warming, otherwise things would be much worse than they already are (so I've read)

hybridfarce - 6/8/2009 12:45:09 PM

+1 Boost

Don't forget that there are several bio-diesel fuel substitutes that should work in modern diesels (and with comparable fuel economy). I don't know of any bio-petrol substitutes that are comparable to gasoline (ethanol doesn't count; it has a lot less energy density, plus there are engine modifications that are needed).