May 2007
Diesels powered by cleaner fuel hit the road
Until 2010, most fuel pumps will read either 15 ppm (ultra-low-sulfur diesel) or 500 ppm (conventional).
Diesel cars typically get about 30 percent better fuel economy than similar gasoline-powered cars. They also emit more nitrogen
oxide (NOx) and particulate (soot), which has kept them from being sold in all 50 states. But a new blend of ultra-low-sulfur
diesel fuel is expected to pave the way for new, cleaner-burning diesel vehicles.
The fuel will let diesels use new emissions equipment (catalytic converters and traps) that will significantly reduce NOx and soot. That equipment couldn't be used before because the high sulfur content used in regular U.S. diesel fuel could clog or contaminate it.
The 2006 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI SUV, which went on sale last Sept., is the first diesel vehicle to take advantage of the new fuel. VW says the Touareg met emission standards in all 50 states until January, when the standards were tightened in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. In September, Volkswagen plans to introduce a Jetta with new NOx catalyst that will meet emission standards in all states.
In October, Mercedes-Benz will introduce "clean diesel" versions of the 2007 E320 sedan and ML320 CDI and R320 CDI SUVs. The E320, which uses Mercedes' new Bluetec exhaust treatment system, will be the cleanest diesel sold in the U.S., the company says. It uses a urea injection system that must be refilled at standard oil-change intervals. But like the 2007 Touareg, it won't meet the new NOx standards in five states.
The new diesel fuel contains no more than 15 parts per million of sulfur. According to government regulations, 80 percent of the diesel fuel produced in or imported to the U.S. for road vehicles must be ultra-low-sulfur by Oct.15, 2006, with all diesel ultra-low-sulfur by fall 2010. The exception is California, where all diesel fuel has been ultra-low-sulfur since Sept. 2006.
These new models must be fueled with the new clean diesel fuel, and cannot use the old diesel fuel still sold at many stations, as it will ruin the catalytic converter. The new fuel works with existing diesel engines, which can also be retrofitted with traps.
Ultra-low-sulfur diesel costs about 10-cents more per gallon than traditional low-sulfur diesel. It is slated to be in all U.S. diesel pumps by December of 2010.
The fuel will let diesels use new emissions equipment (catalytic converters and traps) that will significantly reduce NOx and soot. That equipment couldn't be used before because the high sulfur content used in regular U.S. diesel fuel could clog or contaminate it.
The 2006 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI SUV, which went on sale last Sept., is the first diesel vehicle to take advantage of the new fuel. VW says the Touareg met emission standards in all 50 states until January, when the standards were tightened in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. In September, Volkswagen plans to introduce a Jetta with new NOx catalyst that will meet emission standards in all states.
In October, Mercedes-Benz will introduce "clean diesel" versions of the 2007 E320 sedan and ML320 CDI and R320 CDI SUVs. The E320, which uses Mercedes' new Bluetec exhaust treatment system, will be the cleanest diesel sold in the U.S., the company says. It uses a urea injection system that must be refilled at standard oil-change intervals. But like the 2007 Touareg, it won't meet the new NOx standards in five states.
The new diesel fuel contains no more than 15 parts per million of sulfur. According to government regulations, 80 percent of the diesel fuel produced in or imported to the U.S. for road vehicles must be ultra-low-sulfur by Oct.15, 2006, with all diesel ultra-low-sulfur by fall 2010. The exception is California, where all diesel fuel has been ultra-low-sulfur since Sept. 2006.
These new models must be fueled with the new clean diesel fuel, and cannot use the old diesel fuel still sold at many stations, as it will ruin the catalytic converter. The new fuel works with existing diesel engines, which can also be retrofitted with traps.
Ultra-low-sulfur diesel costs about 10-cents more per gallon than traditional low-sulfur diesel. It is slated to be in all U.S. diesel pumps by December of 2010.
