Mercedes-Benz started leasing diesel-powered sedans in California Monday, the first new diesel passenger cars available in the state in nearly a decade.
Mercedes “has developed a diesel emission control system that results in a car as clean as comparable gasoline vehicles being sold here,” Tom Cackette, head of the California’s Air Resources Board, said in a statement.
The company said the car gets 20 to 40 percent better fuel efficiency than a comparable car with a gasoline engine and has a 700-mile range. According to the federal government, the ‘08 E320 Bluetec gets 23 mpg in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway. The gasoline-powered E350 gets 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
Volkswagen has said it would put a diesel version of its Jetta compact that meets California emissions regulations on sale in early 2008. Other automakers are expected to start selling diesels here by the end of the decade.
1 response so far ↓
docbiodiesel // January 17, 2008 at 4:33 am
Hi, Just discovered your blog and it is good to get a stateside perspective. ON the one hand we in the UK get a rich choice of diesel products on the other, we are repressed by gov’t when it comes to promoting Biodiesel. They just don’t really want to know! I have been making Biodiesel for 2 yrs + and your picture here caught my eye. I used lots in my Merc C270 CDi and it ran beautifully, no discernable difference. Currently running a VW Golf TDi Sport and again it is wizzy. If any of your readers are interested, my blog on Biodiesel gives an English slant on the subject find it here: http://making-biodiesel-news.blogspot.com
Cheers, Alan
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