September 10, 2018 (Washington, D.C.) Today, American automotive executives reaffirmed their commitment to Diesel technology, as new statistics about the future of the U.S. automotive Diesel market came to light.
At an event hosted by the Washington Automotive Press Association, executives from General Motors confirmed that Diesel engines continue to play an important role in the company’s lineup of propulsion options.
“The Diesel propulsion system remains a key component of GM’s vehicle lineup, with 13 different models offering Diesel as an option,” said Dr. Pierpaolo Antonioli, General Motors Executive Director, Global Propulsion Systems Diesel Sector. “Consumers around the globe continue to ask for Diesel options, especially in our pick-up truck and SUV offerings, where Diesel can offer outstanding fuel economy and the range they demand.”
“In the U.S. and Canada, the introduction of the Chevrolet Colorado Diesel mid-size pickup and the GMC Terrain Diesel compact SUV have proven to be a success,” said Mike Siegrist, General Motors Regional Chief Engineer. “Our Diesel centers of expertise in Italy and the United States, where all our Diesel engines are engineered, are poised to continue serving the world’s Diesel market for years to come.”
During the same event, analysts from IHS Markit and the Diesel Technology Forum unveiled new vehicles-in-use and market penetration statistics for the U.S. Diesel automotive market.
“As we heard today, automakers have confidence in Diesel technology as a choice for powering tomorrow’s cars, SUVs, trucks and vans,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “The bottom line is this: consumers want choices, and Diesel is one of those choices. It provides an unparalleled combination of power, torque and fuel efficiency. Add to that modern Diesel’s environmental benefits – improved emissions controls and the ability to run on renewable Diesel fuels and biodiesel – and you have a winning combination that consumers will demand for years to come.”
Casey Selecman, an analyst for IHS Markit, shared new statistics on the benefits of Diesel vehicles, especially in the pick-up truck sector.
“According to IHS data from 2017, pick-up trucks remain the most popular type of Diesel vehicle, with more than 6.6 million on U.S. roads in 2017,” said Selecman. “Diesel pick-ups gain 20 percent to 35 percent more torque and towing power, and can go an extra 150 miles per tank of fuel, which can save owners an average of 200 gallons of fuel per year. Calculating these benefits across the full pick-up truck segment, we found that if every full-size pickup truck in America used Diesel fuel, consumers would save more than 500 million gallons of fuel each year.”
More information on Diesel’s role in the U.S. Automotive sector can be found at https://www.dieselforum.org/diesel-drivers.
