General Motors plans to introduce a diesel-powered Chevrolet Cruze in the United States next year. As one of the most popular cars on the North American market, the award-winning compact sedan is a prime candidate for this project.
A 2.0L clean turbodiesel engine will resolve drawbacks once associated with diesel cars, such as excessive engine noise and obnoxious smells.
Of course, no one says it will be easy: Diesel today accounts for only 3% of all US car sales, according to the Diesel Technology Forum. However, there's been a jump of 35% in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.
Diesel engines deliver more torque and a higher performance than gasoline engines while being significantly more fuel-efficient. They also have a relatively lower cost of entry than some hybrids and EVs.
Time will tell if GM's bold gamble pays off.
