BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Porsche are hedging their pure diesel bets by adding hybrid-electric vehicles and pondering diesel-electric hybrids.
The debate over the superiority of diesel vehicles versus hybrid vehicles has been going on for some time. Some think that diesel’s 30% mileage advantage over standard fuel makes it far better and more convenient than standard gas-electric hybrid SUVs and cars. Hybrid-lovers rally back with facts and figures supporting the mega-mileage some hybrids can get under certain conditions. The question remains, for the car-buying public and for automakers – which is better for a consumer’s pocketbook, the environment and the car industry?
German automakers, who have been leaning toward the diesel side of things, are now starting to show some love to hybrid SUVs and cars as well. Hoping to gain a stronger foothold in the American market, German manufacturers have long dealt with biases that diesel is dirtier than standard gasoline. Introducing hybrids, electric vehicles and even a diesel-electric hybrid will certainly help reach buyers that were previously uninterested. In Europe, the diesel-electric hybrids they are creating are designed to meet ever-tightening restrictions on vehicles. Some are saying the restrictions could be a stringent as equating to 70 or 80 miles per gallon in the U.S. Only fuel-efficient diesel and a well-made hybrid power train could consistently produce those numbers.
The costs of the diesel-electric hybrids are a subject of some concern. Diesel fuel can be more expensive and we all know a hybrid power train does nothing to reduce the sticker price of a vehicle – in fact, it raises it by several thousand. However, auto experts say that while it seems like this new type of hybrid would be expensive, as more and more become available, prices will drop – just as they have for standard hybrids. Nevertheless, this move will not bring flocks of bargain-hunters to German dealerships. Prices will still be higher than many more economical hybrids on the U.S. market today.
What do you think? Would you be interested in a diesel-electric hybrid? Or do you love the current gasoline-electric hybrid suvs and cars way too much?
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My thought is that the ultimate in performance and mileage is the diesel hybrid. Once the technology catches up with regard to batteries, I think we will see vehicles similar to the Chevy Volt, except with smaller diesel engines, to take advantage of both electric and diesel power trains. Hopefully this will actually be introduced into the larger SUV models sooner rather than later!
I am very excited about the thought of purchasing a diesel hybrid… There are those of us want to go green… but still have towing requirements from time to time that demand torque that gas hybrids simply can’t provide…
What is best for the environment and the pocket is what we should go for. However who would actually know what that is you have to test it to see whether it is a pass or a fail.
I would love to have a diesel-hybrid SUV. The torque of a diesel would be great for the rare occasion I am pulling a boat, and the hybrid feature would be excellent in the city. I cannot understand why diesel-hybrid is not at the top of the list for every auto manufacturer. The cost is the most likely reason, but if we had mass production the cost should drop. Obviously, they would produce less carbon per mile, not to mention the drastic drop in oil consumption if they were widespread.
While diesel is good, being able to run on bio-diesel would be even better, whether pure diesel, or diesel hybrid. Yet many of the European diesels currently on the market can not support more than 10% bio-diesel mixed with regular diesel. Bio-diesel is common, and becoming more so in Europe and in the US. When can we expect to have models that run on 100% bio-diesel? In articles like this, would it be possible to begin mentioning the ability to run on bio-diesel?