Controversial, straightforward yet still popular, GM's vice-president rarely eats his words. As the main man behind the Chevrolet Volt project, Bob Lutz is clearly interested in developing new solutions to reduce our collective dependence on oil. But according to him, diesel is not the way of the future.
"Environmental standards in America are too stringent, he said during a recent interview. For instance, the Tier II Bin 5 standard requires technical improvements that significantly increase the costs of producing clean diesels. We will obviously offer such engines to our customers, but we're not going to sacrifice any project because of this."
To back up his claim, Lutz then added a few examples: "We just managed to achieve the required standard with our Duramax-equipped full-size pickup trucks. Unfortunately, they cost $11,000 more. Do you honestly think that someone is willing to pay such a premium?"
"And what about the price of fuel: right now, diesel is about 20-percent costlier than regular gasoline, he went on to say. So, do you see someone actually paying 20 percent more to purchase a diesel-powered vehicle and 20 percent more to fill up the tank... only to wind up with a 20-percent lower fuel consumption? The biggest issue for consumers will always be money, not the environment. As for the success of German automakers, well, they did make a nice breakthrough in Canada, but the environmental standards are not the same. In the U.S., their success has yet to be calculated."
Finally, Bob Lutz told journalists that one thing is for sure: "We won't give up on diesel technology, especially for our European customers. But it's only part of a global effort to explore all avenues in order to save our planet."
photo:General Motors
"Environmental standards in America are too stringent, he said during a recent interview. For instance, the Tier II Bin 5 standard requires technical improvements that significantly increase the costs of producing clean diesels. We will obviously offer such engines to our customers, but we're not going to sacrifice any project because of this."
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| GM's vice-president, Bob Lutz. |
To back up his claim, Lutz then added a few examples: "We just managed to achieve the required standard with our Duramax-equipped full-size pickup trucks. Unfortunately, they cost $11,000 more. Do you honestly think that someone is willing to pay such a premium?"
"And what about the price of fuel: right now, diesel is about 20-percent costlier than regular gasoline, he went on to say. So, do you see someone actually paying 20 percent more to purchase a diesel-powered vehicle and 20 percent more to fill up the tank... only to wind up with a 20-percent lower fuel consumption? The biggest issue for consumers will always be money, not the environment. As for the success of German automakers, well, they did make a nice breakthrough in Canada, but the environmental standards are not the same. In the U.S., their success has yet to be calculated."
Finally, Bob Lutz told journalists that one thing is for sure: "We won't give up on diesel technology, especially for our European customers. But it's only part of a global effort to explore all avenues in order to save our planet."
photo:General Motors