Have you ever had this feeling that someone is trying to make you fail? This certainly could be the case if the diesel engine was a person. Over the past decade, emissions regulations have been proposed, passed and are now being enforced. This has made it very difficult to bring a diesel engine into the US and if someone manages to navigate the emission regulations successfully, the cost is extremely high.

It is pretty funny that manufacturers are pushing clean, good for the environment and the adventure of driving. At the same time politicians are pushing that diesels are dirty, nasty, and smelly diesels.

All that being said, it appears that manufacturers have done a decent job navigating the waters and bringing vehicles in. No longer are diesel engines only available from Volkswagen and truck manufacturers. Just about every automotive manufacturer has multiple diesel engine options. What they are finding is that customers are willing to pay a premium for them because of the huge benefits that come with a diesel.

But then again, all of these emission requirements have reduced diesel engine efficiency (causing them to burn more fuel). Now it takes more fuel (which rumor has it, the dinosaurs are extinct and there is a limited amount of oil available) in the name of tail pipe emissions.

So, now that tail pipe emissions are so clean and the engines are much less efficient, politicians are starting to propose banning the engines all together in major cities. While we haven’t seen this yet in the US, Paris is leading the way with Athens right on their hills. Even London’s mayor is pushing for a ban on diesel powered vehicles.

Sure, images like this don’t help, but really, they are banning diesels in general?

If you are paying attention, those are all European cities where diesel engines are extremely popular! If Paris executes its plan, by 2020 (in five years) you will not see a single compression ignition engine on the road.

This is just absolutely amazing. Check out these two articles if you would like more info (article one and two). We just hope that no US politician makes this policy. New Jersey is probably the closest (did you see what they banned?)