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October 5, 2005
Clean cars and diesel avaialbility
Here is what is happening with clean diesel standards as they relate to deisel car availability.
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Clean Car Standards and Diesel Car Availability
Many Oregonians are interested in purchasing diesel cars because they get superior mileage and because environmentally-friendly biodiesel is available in many parts of the state. Some drivers are worried that if Oregon adopts the California tailpipe standards, they will no longer be able to purchase diesel cars.
It is true that several diesel passenger cars and light trucks are not available in California. These include the VW diesel Jetta and Passat, Mercedes diesel E class, and the diesel Jeep Liberty. They are currently sold outside of California where federal emission standards are less stringent. However, the clean car standards will not come into effect in Oregon until model year 2009, and three important changes will result in greater diesel availability by that time:
#1 Federal emission standards for diesel cars are being tightened, as well. In fact, by 2009 the federal tailpipe standards will require diesel cars to be so much cleaner that they will also meet the California standards. Diesel car manufacturers must produce cleaner diesels or they wont be able to sell anywhere in the United States.
#2 European auto manufacturers (the leaders in diesel emission control) indicate diesels should meet both the federal and California tailpipe standards by the end of the decade.
#3 The federal government is also requiring cleaner diesel fuel. All on-road vehicles, from small cars to semis, will be filling up with ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel as of October 2006. This diesel fuel will be far cleaner, making it easier for diesels to meet the federal and California tailpipe standards.
Note that large diesel pickups (e.g., ¾ ton) have been and will continue to be available in California and states that adopt its tailpipe standards. And the clean car standards do not apply to heavy-duty vehicles, like semis and buses.
With cleaner petroleum diesel fuel and cleaner diesel engines, diesel car owners will be able to greatly reduce their contribution to air pollution and global warming (especially those who purchase biodiesel, an American-made, renewable fuel).
For more information on the clean car standards, visit www.cleancarsoregon.org
Chris Hagerbaumer
Program Director, Oregon Environmental Council
chrish@oeconline.org
503-222-1963 x102
Posted by Martin at October 5, 2005 10:26 AM
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Comments
Here's a crazy idea:
A new pump nozzle. This nozzle would be smaller than existing. This nozzle could only be affixed to B20 pumps and higher blend. CA etc would allow new diesel vehicles fixed with a new, smaller fuel receptacle entry point. Ah ha! works for existing vehicles, limits new vehicles to B20 and above! ;)
Posted by: Rob Elam 
at October 5, 2005 10:35 PM
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