Forbes talks about Diesel
Forbes has an article on Diesel's in north america.
The problem is that while cleaner diesel fuel is coming to market here, federal emission standards are climbing, too. The Europeans say that their new technology diesels will be able to meet our tougher rules, but not for a few years.
In Europe, diesels have a double-barreled advantage. First, they get better mileage, 25% to 30% better than gasoline-powered vehicles. Measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard, the Volkswagen diesel Jetta (stick shift) gets 36 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, versus 22/30 city/highway for the 2.5-liter five-cylinder gasoline model.
Second, European governments do not tax diesel fuel as much as gasoline. The difference in taxation may run as much as $2 per gallon. In the U.S., diesel does not have a price advantage. A colleague recently paid $2.71 per gallon for regular gasoline in Detroit, while diesel was going for $3