With the help of German automakers like VW and Mercedes, diesel vehicles are gaining in popularity in the U.S. Diesel vehicle sales jumped this year due to some temporary factors like the Japanese earthquake disaster causing a shortage in the availability of hybrids.
In May, U.S buyers purchased approximately 9,000 diesel cars, a 34% increase from last year. As consumers continue to look for more fuel efficient and ecologically-friendly vehicles, diesel is becoming a more popular choice. Once considered loud, smoky vehicles, diesels today have a quieter sound, burn less fuel, and emit less carbon dioxide than gas vehicles.
German carmaker Volkswagen has a new plant that opened in Tennessee in May where approximately one in four cars made is a diesel. They’re betting on diesel gaining in the U.S. Currently, the VW Jetta compact is the biggest-selling US diesel car, out-selling even Mercedes and BMW.
According to US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, “If one-third of all vehicles in the USA were already clean diesel vehicles today, we would be saving 1.4 million barrels of oil every day. That is equivalent to the amount of oil we currently import from Saudi Arabia.”
U.S Diesel sales are expected to jump 40 percent this year.
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