Despite lower gasoline and diesel fuel prices in the second half of 2014, the registrations of fuel-efficient clean diesel and hybrid cars and SUVS both showed double-digit increases in vehicle registrations in 2014, according to the latest data compiled by IHS Automotive for the Diesel Technology Forum.
Clean diesel cars and SUVs showed an increase of 13.5 percent in 2014 over 2013, and hybrid cars and SUVS increased by 15.1 percent.
The new data was unveiled by Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum at a March 18 luncheon with the International Motor Press Association in New York City.
The new analysis is based on data that includes the registration statistics of all passenger vehicles – cars, SUVS, pickup trucks and vans – that were compiled by IHS Automotive in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through December 31, 2014.
“Clean diesel cars, trucks and SUVs typically achieve an impressive 20 to 40 percent improvement in fuel economy and 10 to 20 percent reduction in emissions when compared to a similar gasoline powered vehicles,” Schaeffer said. “This fuel economy advantage is a major factor in the steady increases we’ve seen in diesel vehicle sales and registrations since 2010.
“Just as important is the fact that automakers are introducing more diesel-powered models every year and consumers are warming up to the efficiency and unique characteristics of the powertrain. In fact, many drivers report fuel economy benefits that consistently rival a hybrid.
“While diesel passenger vehicles currently make up a modest 2.88 percent of the entire U.S. vehicle market, consensus forecasts predict that diesel cars, pickups and SUVs will comprise about seven percent of the market by 2020 or just over one million diesel-powered cars and trucks on the road,” Schaeffer said.
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