(Image credit: Bloomberg.com) – It is no secret that European carmakers have been investing heavily in diesel engine technology for a significant amount of time. Sales of diesel powered cars in Europe have been growing at a steady clip for more than a decade and while American car buyers have been more and more interested in diesel powered passenger cars, it is still largely seen as technology reserved for big trucks. Burned by a couple legendarily horrible engines introduced 30 years ago by domestic manufacturers it has been a tough sell to get the North American continent fully on the diesel train. The latest proof of the European diesel revolution come from England and it is based in the hard numbers of fuel sales and usage.
In 2015, the vehicle fleet in England will be made up of 37% diesel powered stuff, up from just 13% in 2000. More interesting is the fact that the consumption of diesel fuel in the country has grown to more than 20-million tons a year from a shade over 15 at the turn of the 21st century. The number that is kind of a jaw dropper is the 30% reduction in gasoline usage over the same time period. According to the report we read on Bloomberg.com, diesel consumption records are expected to be broken virtually every month for the foreseeable future and the trend shows little to no sign of ever switching direction.
The real world “problem” that this presents for the oil companies is the fact that the majority of their production in Europe and everywhere else is geared to making gasoline which makes sense because it has been the dominant automotive fuel for more than 100 years. Apparently, refinery capacity for making diesel is already being taxed and there’s no end to the growth of consumption in sight. If/when the USA becomes more thirsty for diesel fuel, it will be a real issue because England is a pretty small country compared to, well, everywhere else.
Having driven multiple small displacement turbo diesel cars over the last couple of years, we can tell you that their major league torque production and awesome fuel economy make them killer pieces for cruising or zipping around town. Every expanding numbers of gears in automatic transmissions help these little engines perform as well, keeping them in the fat part of the torque and power production bands that they are known for.
England may well be the proverbial canary in the coal mine for upcoming trends in diesel and gasoline usage. What do you think? Good, bad, indifferent?
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AT BLOOMBERG.COM
Diesel cars get more miles a gallon.
So diesel costs more than petrol.
Big Oil never misses a trick!
Over here in Germany more than half of all registered cars are Diesel powered. It’s simple, Diesel is a lot cheaper and MPG is a lot better than Gasoline. Just recently sold my BMW 330D which would blow the doors of my Benz S450 V8 while getting double the MPG. Those things are quicker at overtaking than an Audi R8 V10. What’s not to like? The six cylinder diesels sound great too, Audi even makes them sound like a gasoline V8 with some exhaust sound modification. Not nearly as nice as my Chevelle, but still a good throaty sound. 😀
I’m biased because I’m a diesel enthusiast. I support the adoption of more diesel vehicles. Unfortunately the political machine continuously places higher taxes on diesel fuel than gas. It keeps them popular with the masses while simultaniously rasing the agregate cost of almost all goods that are shipped via road or rail. I think that the price/tax on diesel should be pegged to the price of premium gasoline. That would open American consumers up to the idea of owning more efficent power plants, which would be better for the enviroment and consumers. Manufactures might not like the fact that your car can/will go over 300k miles before you have to buy a new one though.
not sure that diesel consumption will be a real problem here in the US of A until we get some cheap diesel cars… I’ve been in a couple of TDI VW’s that were way more interesting to drive than the gas powered VW’s but they’re still not cheap.
I mean Festiva cheap… not 25 grand. Diesel is still a lot higher here than regular, 10 percent at a minimum and 20 percent or more most of the time. Between the uber $$ oil changes, the initial cost difference (8k surcharge for a diesel seems normal?), and fuel price penalty, there’s not a lot of motivation to get a diesel. The newest ones needing goat pee (DEF) every fillup is kind of a buzz kill too.
petroleum tax policy has a lot to do with it as well. In Europe it usually costs twice a much or more gasoline than in the US, putting a premium on efficiency. A little googling shows German gas prices at about $6 per gallon and Diesel at around $5 per gallon Figures may be out of date, but you get the point.)
With gas a lot cheaper in the US, and diesel more expensive than gas, the incentives just aren’t really there.