In addition to having better fuel economy and emitting less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines, diesels also exhibit excellent potential for further improvement in emission levels. The market share of diesel vehicles, however, shows great regional variation due to factors such as the image of diesels held by consumers, emission standards, government policies and taxation. The following report discusses current trends in diesel vehicles in the US.

The issue of global warming has recently come to the forefront of worldwide concern, and with the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol during the 3rd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1997, clear targets for the reduction of CO and other gases contributing to the greenhouse effect have been established. In Europe, the widespread introduction of diesel-powered passenger cars, which have low CO emission levels, is in keeping with other pollution-cutting measures. We will report on trends in the use of diesel engines in the United States of America, where more people depend upon the automobile than upon any other mode of transportation.