With as many as 40 new diesel-powered models hitting the US market by 2016, covering pretty much all of the major vehicle types and sizes, buyers will have more such vehicles to choose from than ever before.

However, many buyers are still reluctant, quoting the higher acquisition price of oil-burners as well as the higher levels of fluctuation that are observed in the price of the fuel as prime reasons to go for gasoline.

Still there’s no denying the real world efficiency benefits of driving a diesel, especially for those who do many miles every year and who favor driving outside crowded city centers.

If the current trend continues predictably, then we could be looking at diesels doubling or tripling their numbers by 2020; grow from 3 percent market share today to 6-9 percent in six years’ time.

It’s actually a normal trend, as we learn from the same Detroit Free Press report that diesel has actually recently surpassed gasoline as the world’s fuel of choice. It “is gaining popularity in developing economies, especially in power vehicles, construction and mining equipment and electricity generators.”

By Andrei Nedelea

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