Diesel Technology Forum News - February 2013

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Diesel Direct - Diesel Technology Forum.

February is for Diesel Lovers Thanks to Chevrolet and Ram Trucks

New Chevy Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel to Accelerate Interest in Clean Diesel Autos in U.S.
"The[1] new [2]2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel passenger car unveiled at the[3] 2013 Chicago Auto Show is a bold statement about the future for clean diesel cars in the U.S. The Chevy Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel is coming at just the right time. New car sales are exceeding expectations and confidence in the new generation of diesel cars is at an all-time high, as evidenced by the double-digit increases in diesel sales in 20 of the last 24 months,” said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the [4]Diesel Technology Forum. "In addition, the availability of diesel fuel continues to expand to beyond more than half of all U.S. stations.”
With automakers set to introduce more than 20 new clean diesel vehicles in North America this year, consumers will have almost double the number of choices currently available.

It’s official. clean diesel engines are now coming as an option to full-size half-ton pick-up trucks. Even as the hoopla from the Chevy Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel launch at the Chicago Auto Show was still playing on, [5]Ram Trucks made the diesel lovers heart skip a few beats by announcing that it will introduce a 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickup truck in the United States beginning in third quarter 2013. The popularity of pick-up trucks in the U.S. is unstoppable and the torque, range and fuel-efficiency from the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel engine will be extremely popular in the U.S. light-duty truck market. The 2013 Ram 1500 won Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year, The North American Truck of the Year and Truck of Texas. And that’s all before announcing the diesel option.

See a list of [6]Clean Diesel Vehicles Currently Available in the U.S.

Policy Insider
Highway Funding and State Motor Fuel Taxes Debates Raise Concern for Diesel Car Owners…"Diesel Fuel Not Just for Commercial Trucks Anymore"
Around the country, states are dealing with deteriorating infrastructure and dwindling revenues derived from motor fuels taxes and looking for a way forward. In the past, raising motor fuels taxes was very unpopular. However, recent reports suggest that years of deferred maintenance are leaving many drivers and transit users willing to accept some increase in taxes to pay for much needed repairs. But what is the right approach?

One of those proposals from Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell would penalize current and future owners of fuel-efficient clean diesel cars and trucks. On January 16, 2013 Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell proposed eliminating the state’s gasoline tax in favor of modestly increasing the state’s retail sales tax to boost transportation funding. While the proposal eliminates the gas tax, the governor’s plan still keeps in place the state’s tax on diesel fuel at 19 cents per gallon. That proposal is now making its way through the Virginia legislature. According the announcement, the diesel tax would remain since heavy-duty diesel trucks “cause much more wear and tear on roads and highways than gasoline powered light duty vehicles”. However, the proposal would unfairly burden the owners of roughly 121,000 registered passenger diesel vehicles in Virginia. An analysis done by the Diesel Technology Forum found that the average Virginia diesel car driver would pay an estimated $82 a year more in fuel taxes than a gasoline car owner, if the proposal were adopted.

The Washington Post reported that almost six out of 10 Virginians support the Governor’s plan, and the concepts’ popularity extends beyond Virginia. Already, legislation has been introduced in many states to increase motor fuels taxes. Some of this legislation seeks to increase diesel fuels taxes at a greater rate than gasoline in the belief that bigger trucks cause much greater wear and tear on roads and should pay more for their use.
However, this is an outdated assumption. No longer do diesel engines power only big rigs and construction equipment. Many light-duty cars and pickups trucks are powered by diesel. In fact, there are more registered diesel cars and trucks than hybrids in California. The growing interest in light-duty diesel among consumers has not gone unnoticed by automakers. Eleven light-duty diesel models were offered last year, 22 will be offered this year and many industry experts predict over 50 models will be introduced in 2014. These light-duty diesels exhibit enhanced fuel economy, sometimes rivaling that of a comparable hybrid, along with superior emissions reduction of many smog forming compounds.

Bottom line: A disparity in state fuels taxes that burdens a growing segment of the light-duty sector would discourage investments in an efficient and clean mode of transportation. For more information contact [16]efinkin@dieselforum.org.

DTF News
[17]World Ag Expo Features Advanced Diesel Machinery (USAgNet, February 13)
[18]Are You Ready to Cruze in a Diesel? (Video News Report – The Motley Fool, February 12)
[19]States get tougher on air standards (High Plains/Midwest AG Journal, February 11)
[20]Diesel engines are increasingly popular among automakers, drivers (Newsday, February 9)
[21]Detroit embraces diesel again after 27 years (NBCNEWS.com, February 8)
[22]Las Vegas Biodiesel Vehicle Showcase Features a Winning Combination (KNEB Rural Radio, February 8)
[23]Las Vegas Biodiesel Vehicle Showcase Features Biodiesel in Latest Clean Diesel Vehicles (Biofuels Digest, February 7)
[24]Clean diesel technology showcased at 10th Annual National Biodiesel Conference (American AG Radio Network, February 6)

California Corner - The state of California, looking at an improved financial picture, has announced that it will seek [25]additional bond moneys to be used for goods movement emissions reductions. Aimed at producing emissions reductions that would not otherwise be required by law or regulation, the state is planning to issue $150 million of awards to local government agencies to be used on heavy-duty trucks, freight locomotives and rail yards, cargo ships at berth or cargo handling equipment used in ports or rail yards, and commercial harbor craft. Deadline for agencies to apply for the funds is March 15, 2013. Previous awards have allocated $587 million to projects in Los Angeles/Inland Empire, the Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area and the San Diego/border region.
For more information about the Forum, visit our web site at www.dieselforum.org
References
1. http://www.chicagoautoshow.com/default.aspx
2. http://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home...engine.gm.html
3. http://www.chicagoautoshow.com/default.aspx
4. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm
5. http://www.ramtrucks.com/
6. http://www.dieselforum.org/resources...ble-in-the-u-s-
7. http://www.worldagexpo.com/
8. http://www.agcocorp.com/
9. http://www.cummins.com/cmi/
10. http://www.ford.com/
11. http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/regional_home.page
12. http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/
13. http://us.yanmar.com/
14. http://www.dieselforum.org/news/worl...ural-machinery
15. http://www.sae.org/mags/sve/power/11750
16. mailto:efinkin@dieselforum.org
17. http://www.michiganagconnection.com/...Id=355&yr=2013
18. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGzljw5Kze8
19. http://www.hpj.com/archives/2013/feb...-air-standards
20. http://newyork.newsday.com/business/...vers-1.4604547
21. http://www.nbcnews.com/business/detr...ears-1B8293986
22. http://kneb.com/news/agricultural/in...?more=phebjxvk
23. http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/artic...es-130208.html
24. http://americanagnetwork.com/2013/02...el-conference/
25. http://www.arb.ca.gov/bonds/gmbond/gmbond.htm
26. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diese...3837127?ref=ts
27. http://twitter.com/DieselTechForum
28. http://www.youtube.com/user/DieselTe...m?feature=mhee
29. http://www.facebook.com/dieseltechforum?ref=ts
30. http://twitter.com/DieselTechForum
31. http://www.youtube.com/user/DieselTe...m?feature=mhee
32. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...7E000C296BA163
33. http://www.jmusa.com/
34. http://green.autoblog.com/2013/01/31...y-award-in-dc/
35. http://green.autoblog.com/tag/skyactiv/
36. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...9A000C296BA163
37. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...1B000C296BA163
38. http://www.dieselforum.org/files/dmf...t_01.30.13.pdf
39. http://www.actexpo.com/
40. http://www.ncsl.org/meetings.aspx?tabs=2638,123
41. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...iesel%2BDirect
42. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...iesel%2BDirect
Diesel Technology Forum

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March 4, 2013 - Special Edition

Diesel Direct is a monthly publication featuring the latest clean diesel news and activities of the Diesel Technology Forum.

2013 Breakout Year for Clean Diesel Cars,Trucks and SUVs

In this era of sky-high gasoline prices, Americans are increasingly looking to fuel-efficient diesel as a solution to help alleviate their pain at the pump. Diesel cars are 20 to 40 percent more efficient than gasoline cars. And because today’s diesel vehicles are also clean, quiet and fun-to-drive, many consumers are learning diesel is an environmentally conscious option that does not sacrifice power or performance.

[5]Learn more about diesel cars, trucks & SUVs.

Robert Bosch LLC, Diesel Systems North America, a global multibillion-dollar engineering and electronics automotive leader, predicts there will 54 diesel vehicle models available in the U.S. by 2017, including 22 new models in 2013. According to recent published reports, clean diesel auto sales increased by 24 percent in 2012 over 2011, while the overall U.S. auto market increased by 13.5 percent. Currently, diesel car and light-duty truck sales equal slightly more than three percent of the U.S. vehicle market but many auto analysts predict significant increases in domestic sales.

Mike Omotoso, an analyst at research firm LMC Automotive, predicts diesel’s market share to climb to 7.5 percent in the next five years. Bernd Boisten, Bosch’s regional president of diesel systems in North America, expects diesel’s market share in North America to increase to about 10 percent by 2020.

Clean diesel has been electrifying the auto show news with big product announcements. According to USA Today, “what makes this latest shift toward diesel power seem solid is that it's coming from makers who've not been players” ([6]Are diesels ready to go mainstream in U.S.?) meaning the Detroit Three and Mazda, as the first Asian manufacturer to step away from hybrids and move into the clean diesel market as diesel sales were previously dominated by German engineered vehicles from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen. As the U.S. moves to achieve the 54.5 mpg corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) level by 2025 mandated by the new federal greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards, more manufacturers are looking to clean diesel’s efficiency advantages over gasoline to help them meet these standards.

Virginia Transitions to a Landmark State Fuels Tax System

State and Federal lawmakers are focusing attention on how we pay for roads. Many states and the federal government pay for roads, highways, bridges, tunnels and other pieces of transportation infrastructure mostly though fuels taxes. Many of these taxes come in the form of a flat tax on the consumption of fuel. As prices, including the cost of road maintenance and construction increase over time, fuels tax revenue does not keep pace with the demand for services. This month, the Virginia legislature passed a landmark bill that transitions Virginia from a flat consumption tax to a wholesale tax system that ties fuel taxes to wholesale fuel prices. However, the new state fuels tax structure places a slightly higher tax on diesel than gasoline that would result in an additional $20 charge to drivers of diesel cars over the estimated lifetime of the vehicle. While diesel drivers would pay slightly more at the pump relative to gasoline drivers, diesel cars still would not have to pay the $100 each year in additional taxes imposed on the drivers of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell cars. As more and more drivers factor in fuel economy when purchasing a new car, perhaps the diesel option comes out on top for consumers weighing a new diesel versus a new hybrid purchase.

22 New Clean Diesel Vehicle Models In U.S. Expected In 2013 . . . 54 By 2017

* 2013 Audi A6 – Audi’s announcement of four new models at the LA Auto Show now gives Audi a diesel option in every model.
* 2013 Audi A7
* 2013 Audi A8
* 2013 Audi Q5
* 2013 BMW 3 and 5 Series diesels
* 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML250 BlueTEC SUV powered by 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
* 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDI Clean Diesel – The only convertible diesel vehicle in the U.S.
* [7]2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel - The gasoline version of the Chevy Cruze has been extremely popular in the U.S.
* 2014 [8]Ford Transit
* 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel
* 2014 Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D - Mazda will be the only Asian automaker to offer a diesel passenger car in the U.S.
* 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel – The first and only light-duty half-ton pickup truck on the market.
* 2014 Ram ProMaster

The Rumor Mill…
Mini has said they are likely to bring a [9]diesel to the U.S. with the next wave of new models. Maybe a [10]Jeep Wranger EcoDiesel down the road if the Jeep Grand Cherokee does well. Volkswagen potentially still has big plans for the U.S. with production of the [11]Volkswagen CrossBlue diesel/plug-in hybrid. There are still rumblings of a [12]Mazda CX-5 diesel in the works after the launch of the Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D.
Buy a Clean Diesel Vehicle!

A new generation of clean diesel cars, light trucks and SUVs is now available and offer consumers a new choice in fuel-efficient and low-emissions technology. Clean diesel is a proven technology that is clean, quiet and fun to drive.

[13]See a list of all the Clean Diesel Vehicles Currently Available in the U.S.
Diesel Fuel Locator
Clean diesel fuel is now available at more than half of all service stations (over 50,000 locations).
[14]Find a diesel station near you!
Please note that some of the links in this e-mail are temporary and may move or expire in the coming weeks. Some sources may require registration or fee-based subscriptions. The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting clean diesel technologies. Forum members include engine and vehicle manufacturers, diesel fuel refiners, and manufacturers of emissions control devices. For more information about the Forum, visit our web site at www.dieselforum.org.

References
5. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...A1000C296BA163
6. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...ickup/1917103/
7.
http://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home...engine.gm.html
8. http://fleetowner.com/ford-0?intlink=incontent
9.
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...source=twitter
10. http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2016...el-engine.html
11.
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/...electric-suvs/
12. http://www.autonews.com/article/2013...#axzz2M1R57FRF
13. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...28000C296BA163
14. http://www.dieselforum.org/index.cfm...E9000C296BA163

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This month, the Virginia legislature passed a landmark bill that transitions Virginia from a flat consumption tax to a wholesale tax system that ties fuel taxes to wholesale fuel prices.

Not surprising that governments are moving in that direction... Government became accustomed to the fuel tax revenue during the good times. Then, when gas/diesel fuel prices rose - consumption went down. This resulted in a corresponding drop in fuel tax revenue.

The answer (from a government bureaucrat's way of thinking) is to tie fuel tax to the more volatile commodity price - if fuel prices double, so does the tax. This'll result in a further reduction in fuel use, which will result in another layer of taxes (government never does without), which will result in a further reduction of fuel use.... and so on, and so on... till the price of gas/diesel becomes unaffordable because of the overwhelming percentage of tax.

What they’re not saying is that the federal government and more and more states are misappropriating fuel tax revenues for use by their general fund. It's no wonder the roads and bridges are being neglected.

[OIL BURN]

Maybe I'am missing the point,and I like the idea of more fuel effecient diesels,but what does it matter if government will simply tax diesel fuel to the point of offsetting any savings gained by diesel effency? Not to mention the costs of new diesel vehicles and lack of knowledge by dealerships repairing these vehicles.The posts by members alone indicates the trial and error method alone in service departments.Diesel fuel in calif. is around 4.50 a gallon.As far as I'am concerned the old 6.2/6.5 is easiest to repair and paid for, so 4.50 a gallon can be tollerated for now. Also, isn't it possible with more new diesels on the road that the price of diesel will rise due to more demand?

OIL BURN

[DmaxMaverick]

They tax it because they can. The "price according to BTU per volume" concept is only a talking point to sell the tax to the populous. The higher taxes on Diesel fuel was originally commercially driven, as most Diesel engine use was primarily for the transportation of goods for commerce, coupled with the significantly less cost for the "by-product", similar to LPG. Now, it's the "fuel fairness doctrine" that sells the concept of price balancing for motor fuels. It isn't fair (if you drive a gasser), that Diesel fueled vehicle operators can have a less expensive fuel, that is significantly more efficient. Most voters/constituents don't drive Diesel fuel powered vehicles. If they can't improve their economic condition to a satisfactory level, they'll degrade yours to their satisfactory level.

The "supply vs. demand" argument will never pass, in the US. We will never meet the supply in the US, as the surplus is sold in oversea markets. We, the US and N. American Diesel fueled vehicle operators, are using a fuel that is competing with the oversea market.

[OIL BURN]

DmaxMaverick,well stated and I totally agree.


OIL BURN