On the heels of the new Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel arriving at the pumps and the launch of the next generation of diesel-powered cars like the 2007 Mercedes- Benz E320 BLUETEC this week, a new omnibus survey has found that 50 percent of Generation Y (18-29 years in age) and 46 percent of Generation X (30-41 years of age) would consider buying or leasing a new clean diesel car.
The survey findings echo recent predictions by J.D. Power and Associates that sales of diesel cars will nearly triple in the next ten years as advancements make today's diesels a greener, more fuel efficient and socially responsible alternative to gasoline-powered cars.
The survey of more than 1,000 Americans co-sponsored by the Diesel Technology Forum and Mercedes-Benz USA also found that 70 percent of people still think that Americans are not doing enough to reduce fuel consumption, despite the fact that 69 percent of drivers surveyed reportedly took steps to change their driving practices during the past year in response to soaring gas prices. The findings suggest that American drivers, especially younger ones, are looking for ways to address concerns about fuel consumption and are increasingly turning to alternatives such as diesel-powered cars.
ULSD arrived in filling stations nationwide Sunday and contains 97 percent less sulfur than the previous type of diesel fuel. Sulfur has a corrosive effect on engines and is a major cause of particulate emissions. The availability of ULSD enables the use of reliable particulate filters and efficient after-treatment of nitrogen oxides. With the new cleaner fuel, the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC luxury sedan, the cleanest diesel automobile in the world, produces dramatically fewer emissions than gasoline-powered cars while maintaining high levels of fuel efficiency, power and performance. Diesel cars are typically 20 to 40 percent more fuel-efficient than gasoline- powered cars and provide superior fuel efficiency relative to both gasoline and hybrid cars during highway driving.
"We are seeing that younger drivers are eager to embrace new clean diesel as they look to reduce their fuel bill and their environmental footprint, thereby demonstrating that they're socially responsible," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. "Yet it's also clear that while consumers want greener options that help them save money at the pump, they don't want to forego the performance, reliability and innovative features they've come to expect in today's automobiles."
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