The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can't Have

[secret-steve-crumbles]

Ford's 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic goes on sale in November. But here's the catch: Despite the car's potential to transform Ford's image and help it compete with Toyota Motor (TM) and Honda Motor (HMC) in its home market, the company will sell the little fuel sipper only in Europe. "We know it's an awesome vehicle," says Ford America President Mark Fields. "But there are business reasons why we can't sell it in the U.S." The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel.

Automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have predicted for years that a technology called "clean diesel" would overcome many Americans' antipathy to a fuel still often thought of as the smelly stuff that powers tractor trailers. Diesel vehicles now hitting the market with pollution-fighting technology are as clean or cleaner than gasoline and at least 30% more fuel-efficient.

Full Article (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm?chan=autos_autos+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories).

[sir_scutter]

It's nicer than my car.

[tokenuser]

The only way it would ever take off in the US is if it were a diesel hybrid.

[bigshotprof]

That's Ford's "main reason", but it would also fail crash tests on the side and front. There are already cars in the US with diesel engines (a saab for instance) so that alone wouldn't disqualify it. I do agree that environmentalists need to take another look at diesel. It's not the same tech that it was 20 years ago, and it would be a good bridge tech.

[tokenuser]

That's Ford's "main reason", but it would also fail crash tests on the side and front. There are already cars in the US with diesel engines (a saab for instance) so that alone wouldn't disqualify it. I do agree that environmentalists need to take another look at diesel. It's not the same tech that it was 20 years ago, and it would be a good bridge tech.Diesel has the advantage of being able to be replaced by biofuels and not just as a fuel additive like the "flex fuel" vehicles. Disadvantage of biofuels though is that the energy they carry is less than its hydrocarbon fuel equivalent ... so 65mpg on a gallon of diesel is more like 45mpg on a gallon of corn based biodiesel. Still impressive, but at that point its got no better fuel economy than any other subcomapct on the market.

[yssman]

First things first, we have to ask a couple of questions:

1) Is the MPG figure in British MPGs or US MPGs?

- The American gallon is smaller than its British counterpart (about a 20% difference), so in actuality, the Fiesta is capable of only 52 MPG on the highway. It isn't a massive leap forward in figures, its something that can be tuned for easily if there is a proper use of modern technology in our cars... Even gasoline engines can attain these figures, albeit with proper gearing and low-resistance tires.

2) Is the extra cost of diesel offset by the fuel savings?

- It depends, really. Volkswagen already offers a clean-diesel version of the Jetta that will attain similar mileage figures on the highway, but there is a catch; The price. You have to shell out an extra $1,500 (or so) for the TDI, added to that is the dealer markup (which can be as high as $4,000 per car), and then factor in the price of diesel... Which is often well over a $1.00 more than regular fuel per gallon.

Lets compare...

Jetta 2.5S
- Base Price: $19,800
- HWY MPG: 30 (est based on ratings and user reports)

With fuel set at $3.65, you're looking at a fuel cost of roughly $1450 in fuel costs for the year*

Jetta TDI:
- Base Price: $23,000 (est)
- HWY MPG: 50 (est based on ratings and user reports)

With diesel fuel set at $4.15, you're looking at an estimated fuel cost of $990.00 for the year*

(* figures based on 12,000 miles traveled at highway speeds, 14 gallon tank)

...Using these figures, it would take at least three years for the purchase of the TDI to pay off, which of course is largely dependent on the cost of fuel and the miles traveled...

====

The problem, more than anything, is the regulation on emissions in the Fiesta. In the United Sates, our restrictions remain far too tight for even the most-efficient European diesels to make it back to the US, even when equipped in models already sold in the States.

The Fiesta will be showing up in Ford showrooms by the middle of 2009, however, we'll be stuck with small I4 gasoline engines (likely with displacements between 1.6L and 2.0L), all of which should be able to attain more than 40 MPG on the highway.

[esophagus]

Living in the province full of oilsands (and the massive trucks that come with them) I've never stopped to think of diesel as a good thing.

http://www.thoroughbreddiesel.com/performance_images/trucks/dodge-2001/direct-side-shot-lg.jpg

[mikec]

That's Ford's "main reason", but it would also fail crash tests on the side and front. There are already cars in the US with diesel engines (a saab for instance) so that alone wouldn't disqualify it. I do agree that environmentalists need to take another look at diesel. It's not the same tech that it was 20 years ago, and it would be a good bridge tech.

What Saab runs on diesel? Right now there are only a few diesel cars sold in the US and Mercedes has a few and VW brought back the Jetta TDI. BMW may bring one or two in as well.

Remember, the rules changed for the '06 or '07 model year and diesel specs got tighter.

[yssman]

Saab does not currently offer a diesel product in the United States, and for that matter, I am unaware of any plan to introduce a diesel model anywhere close to the future. As of now, your diesel options are pretty much limited only to the VW Jetta, a small handful of Mercedes-Benz models. BMW will be adding a diesel 3-series for 2009, Audi may start offering more diesel models in the future, and Honda is supposed to add a diesel version of the Accord soon as well.

[bigshotprof]

What Saab runs on diesel? Right now there are only a few diesel cars sold in the US and Mercedes has a few and VW brought back the Jetta TDI. BMW may bring one or two in as well.

Remember, the rules changed for the '06 or '07 model year and diesel specs got tighter.

I stand corrected. I have a friend who had a Puegot diesel. He also had a Saab, I remembered them in the wrong order.