Diesel Engines Continue to Offer Savings at the Pump
A lot of hype has been going around about Mercedes’ new BlueTEC technology. BlueTEC is a unique and forward-thinking green technology that is available on several of Mercedes’ high-end vehicles. The system uses new clean-burning diesel fuel, carefully cleaning the exhaust to avoid smelly or dangerous emissions. The system represents a real technological breakthrough, and allows Mercedes to market the vehicle in states such as California that have extremely stringent emissions standards.
However, when the system was developed, we were not yet aware that the price of diesel fuel would outstrip even the recent soaring costs of gasoline. With diesel fuel now costing nearly $5 a gallon in many areas, consumers are understandably reluctant to take advantage of BlueTEC vehicles, particularly when they are regularly priced at $1000 more than non-diesel versions of the same vehicles.
Business Week recently ran an article that discussed this topic. Their conclusion was that diesel vehicles continue to offer a cost savings over gasoline cars, despite the higher price of diesel fuel. The reason is that diesel engines are more efficient than their gasoline counterparts. It is estimated that a BlueTEC vehicle is between 25% and 40% more efficient than a non-BlueTEC equivalent.
At current diesel prices, Mercedes owners should expect it to take two years to pay off the initial cost difference between a diesel and gasoline vehicle. After that, fuel cost savings should average approximately $500 per year.
Of course, if diesel prices continue to outpace gas prices, at some point the scales could tip. For now, however, a BlueTEC vehicle is not only environmentally friendly, but is also able to save money in fuel costs. If you would like to learn more about BlueTEC or any other Mercedes technology, we invite you to visit our convenient local dealership.
Filed Under: Mercedes-Benz Vehicles
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