Car News
Car Reviews
Cars for Sale
Car Discussion

Clean Diesel Wins Future Car, National Engineering Challenge X

WASHINGTON, -- Clean dieseltechnology powered the top three winning vehicles and 12 of 17 entriesoverall in a national engineering competition known as Challenge X todesign the green cars of the future.

"Today we have a glimpse of the leading technologies that will power ourfuture cars, trucks and SUVs, and it"s no surprise that the winner was aclean diesel engine running on renewable biofuels, coupled with a hybridpowertrain," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the DieselTechnology Forum. "Challenge X demonstrates that, thanks to its energyefficiency and low CO2 emissions, clean diesel will play a far greater rolein reducing our dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gasemissions in the years ahead. Over the next 16 months, more than a dozennew clean diesel vehicles will be available to consumers."

Seventeen universities fielded engineering teams to design a automobile thatruns on smaller amounts of fuel made from renewable resources. Each teamreconfigured a Chevrolet Equinox sport utility vehicle using hybrid,plug-in or fuel cell technology and alternative fuels sources such asbiodiesel, ethanol and hydrogen. Twelve of the teams used diesel as part oftheir technology solution.

General Motors, the U.S. Department of Energy and others sponsored thecompetition, whose winner was announced today at the SmithsonianInstitution in Washington, D.C.

The idea is to train a new generation of engineers interested in findingcleaner, more efficient, less expensive vehicles.

Diesel cars, trucks and SUVs provide 20 to 40 percent better mileage andemit 10 to 20 percent fewer greenhouse gases than comparable gasolinevehicles. In addition to superior fuel economy and reduced emissions,American drivers who purchase cleaner-burning diesel cars, trucks and SUVsare eligible for similar tax incentives as purchasers of gasoline-hybridelectric vehicles.

The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit organization dedicated toraising awareness about the economic importance and environmental progressof diesel engines and equipment. Forum members represent the three parts ofthe modern clean diesel system: advanced engines, cleaner diesel fuel andeffective emissions control systems.