Diesel or hybrid?

Hybird Bio-Diesel with plug-in capability.

You forgot the Solar Panels

Diesel vehicles have softened a bit in the market due to rising prices.  Consumers need to be aware of the models available to them, and the dramatic increase in fuel mileage compared to conventional gas cars. Take a test drive!!

Aside from pickup trucks, our only exposure to diesel vehicles is someone who's 1984 Mercedes 300D with 350k miles on it, that hasn't been put out to pasture.  We see it holding up the fast lane as it smokes it's way down the freeway beltching out plumes of black smoke....or burnt french fries.

Honestly, most drivers are not car savy....They have no idea if they have been behind a 2008 Mercedes Bluetec diesel, a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD, a VW Beetle TDI etc.  The general public has no idea that they could be potential consumers of a fuel efficient diesel. Vehicles are seen as a Mercedes, Beetle or Jeep.  Being that the diesel vehicles now a days blend with all of the other vehicles on the road, consumers will not even think twice unless the manufacturers market their products.   Very little emissions...no slowing down for steep grades....consumers will not even notice unless manufacturers place rather bold badging on the vehicles to engage talk amongst owners and potential consumers.   It's working for Toyota and Ford.

Why isn't there diesel-electric hybrids? Diesel-Electric vehicles combine the efficiency of a hybrid with a commonly available high energy content basic fuel, diesel. Yes diesel is more expensive than gasoline, but in miles per dollar spent, diesel is still a cheaper alternative to gasoline. Just look at the MPG rating of most straight diesel powered cars like my 2 diesel VW Beetles. There is a reason why train companies converted to diesel-electric power for their locomotives many decades ago. To keep their fuel costs as low as possible in a highly competitive market their locomotives became the first hybrids. Diesel-electric not gasoline-electric. I just don't understand why a diesel-electric hybrid car hasn't appeared, yet.

I truly think that green diesel is the way to go. With Newzealand now producing in mass their green crude from waste water plants, I think there is a new era coming to fruition.  We too have this technology, if only the US government would spend money on the research. I have actually just returned from europe where my rental car was a very spacious mid sized sedan made by peugeot (peugeot 407).  It was amazing that during my trip of over 5000 km I was able to get over 17 km/liter That's approximately 44mpg.  Even the asthetically unpleasing miniature versions of what we can call an eco-car hybrid barely reach that with a driver taking every caution to maximize output.  Most of my trip was spent hurdling down the autobahn at 170-190km/h (approx. 105-120mph).  I don't think that any US automotive company can top that.  That and the fact that our manufacturers GM, crystler, etc all make similar versions of american cars for the European consumer that absolutely kill our fuel economy standards. Why won't they sell these cars in the US?  Should we start a business of re-importing them for US consumer use.

Note: Vauxhall and Opel are GM product lines for the EU, and the EU versions of Volkswagen kill the fuel economy of most US vehicles of the same model.  Amazing how this works.

Here's a link from the UK for our comparison.. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk

GreenLantern, good point.  Diesel is easier to produce, and costs less to manufacture. Even if people are turned off at the price tag on diesel, they should look at the fact that in most places diesel is approximately 20 cents more per gallon.  And most diesel cars such as the jetta tdi get almost 41mpg vs their gas sisters at 29mpg.  That's only 70% as efficient as the diesel engine.  So, pay 5% more per gallong and get a 30% increase in mileage.  Hmmmm.. Auto manufacturers need to start helping people do the math. :-)

 If (IF) this great nation gets smart and desperate enough in ten years there won't by either a hybrid  (gas or diesel + electric) or a pure diesel vehicle on the road. Hybrids are only a way to stretch oil and diesel is oil. Plug-ins will only increase the 20% of nat gas we already import. The hydrogen economy is coming and is the only true viable solution to energy independence and cleaner air that can replace 100% of oil fuels, totally eliminate transport pollutants, and can be a wholly domestic industry.

No other fad fix, cobbled togeather method solves the original problem. 

Hands down, the hybrids will be more popular. People are buying these cars like they are as trendy as Starbucks coffee or thick-framed glasses (yes, they've made a comeback).

I suspect the trend is here to stay, and gas guzzling cars like the Jaguar XKE, whether they are diesel or not, will be a dying breed.