Mercedes-Benz first in California with diesel
click above image for more high-res pics of the MB E320 BLUETEC
You may remember that despite a promise back in January of 2006 that its E320 BLUETEC would meet emissions standards in all 50 states, Mercedes-Benz announced eight months later that its new diesel sedan wouldn't be sold in California and the contingent of states that have adopted its stricter emissions standard. Mercedes went back and tweaked the BLUETEC design and today marks the first day that the E320 BLUETEC sedan goes on sale in California. It's the first diesel powered model that meets California's strict emissions standards and certainly won't be the last. Mercedes-Benz is offering the car only as a lease vehicle for 2 years/24,000 miles for roughly $600 per month.
Merc chose to lease the car because only about 100 units will be available. This will be expanded next year along with the rest of the diesel lineup when the M, R and GL Bluetec diesels arrive in August. By January next year the E320 Bluetec will be available in all of the other states that have adopted California's stricter emissions standards. These include New York, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
The E-class is expected to go in for a redesign for the 2010 model year and will also be offered with a Bluetec diesel option when it arrives in mid-2009. Click here to view several spy shots of the next E-class including a couple of its interior.
[Source: Automotive News. sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tony 4:30PM (10/15/2007)
Oh Goody! I'll get to pay for diesel fuel @ $3.30 a pop and it takes more energy to produce one gallon this "clean" diesel than regular gas.
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Pete 6:56PM (10/15/2007)
27 city/37 hwy mpg is a pretty substantial gain over the petrol engine.
jaspreet singh 4:49PM (10/15/2007)
whats the mileage on this engine compared to the gas one?
Sandeep 4:56PM (10/15/2007)
CR said it was 30mpg for bluetec and I *think* 18mpg for the normal E320. Keep in mind the Bluetec also has gobs more torque than the petrol motor.
Zerk 5:04PM (10/15/2007)
Fuel Energy Yield
Gasoline 0.805 (19.5 percent)
Diesel 0.843 (15.7 percent)
Ethanol 1.34 34 percent
Biodiesel 3.20 220 percent
gobs 5:16PM (10/15/2007)
Zerk, can you tell me how did you derive the Fuel Energy Yield? I mean, what is this supposed to represent, what is being used in the ratio?
ZapBrannigan 5:45PM (10/15/2007)
Zerk,
Stop pulling numbers out of your butt. Gasoline (Octane) is by far more energy dense molecule than ethanol (which is mixed with octane to make E85) and thus releases more energy through combustion.
http://www.stolaf.edu/courses/2003sem2/Chemistry/111/EtOH_Oct.htm
Diesels on the other hand are approximately 15% more dense than gasoline.
Per wikipedia :"When burnt, diesel typically releases about 40.9 megajoules (MJ) per liter, whereas gasoline releases 34.8 MJ/L, about 15% less. "
And finally bio-diesels comprise of a family of alternative diesels which can be more OR less energy dense than gasoline dependant on the bio source.
Stop lying.
davet 6:49PM (10/15/2007)
Takes more energy to produce gasoline than diesel, but hey, don't let facts stop you.
David 8:53PM (10/15/2007)
I think the e320 blutech does 0-60 in about 6.8 seconds if I remember right (car and driver). But the kicker is that it will probably average in the high 20's in the city and I've heard of owners getting in the 40's on the highway. The thing with diesels is you can floor them from every stop light without a huge impact on fuel economy like a gas engine, so if your an environmental speed junkie this might be your car. Mercedes rules the diesel world in the US right now ... as this technology trickles down the automotive food chain it might have an impact on hybrid sales.
Mike 5:18PM (10/15/2007)
"Oh Goody! I'll get to pay for diesel fuel @ $3.30 a pop and it takes more energy to produce one gallon this "clean" diesel than regular gas."
Not to worry, no one is going to force you to buy one.
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Racedriven 5:23PM (10/15/2007)
A Mercedes-Benz diesel being available in California... that sounds good and that also means it should not only be available in most of the United States, but that would include Massachusetts considering Massachusetts has the same strict emissions that California has, now hopefully Jeep with put that same technology BLUETEC into the smaller yet popular Jeep Liberty, now that's something I would purchase... NOT Lease, Purchase a Jeep Liberty CDI.
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SPG 5:40PM (10/15/2007)
A victory for diesel fans in California.
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JohnAngelo 6:09PM (10/15/2007)
Keep in mind that "clean" is in the nose of the beholder....
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Pete 7:13PM (10/15/2007)
Clean is in the nose of the beholder...could some of you please post useful information instead of bashing new technology while having zero first hand experience.
And for those that don't know the Grand Cherokee currently offers this same powertrain (w/o blue-tec).
It got 20/25 mpg by 2007 EPA standards. For 2008 it will get 18/23 per the new testing methods.
And as far as the 'clean' comment...until you have actually driven something that was engineered to run on the new ULSD...could you please STFU?
Guenther 9:27PM (10/15/2007)
No, actually, clean is in the sharp eye of strict standards, combined with a couple million dollars worth of analytical equipment (its what I do).
Tailpipe emissions of the '07 45 state model are extremely low. There's no soot onside the tailpipe!!!
While all current model (US) diesels are designed to run on ULSD, the HD trucks still have more lenient standards, and wont conform to low NOx levels for 2 more years.
To lease these cars at 1k mi/mo, seems dumb though. Doesn't make sense why they're only shipping 100 units at this point.
Eric Biran 11:57PM (10/15/2007)
@Guenther:
Thanks for the info on the HD trucks. I was thinking about them while reading the article and wondering why they were not considered "the first." I guess their size and commerical use probably means different standards and a slightly longer legal phase in period. I do know that every major HD diesel from GM (Duramax), Ford (Powerstroke), and Dodge (Cummins) were just redesigned to meet very strict standards, adding substantial cost to all vehicles, so I'm not sure why that would be unless to meet current 50-state emissions or what more could be changed in two years other than an exhaust treatment system.
As for the restricted sales, I would bet it's to phase in the system and judge demand while weeding out any remaining bugs in it. Americans are, for the most part, not used to the idea of clean, quiet diesels. Any mistakes at this point could not only ruin Mercedes cred, particularly with diesels, but also that of every other car maker. VW had a problem with Touregs smoking when the diesel fuel switchover took place and they had to halt them all at the dealers to keep them from being sold until the new fuel levels were completely adopted or they shipped them to locations with different sulfur levels.
And I don't even have to mention the bad rep diesels gained in the 1970s thanks largely to American diesels. Even the ones that worked still were loud, smokey, and slow. Now it's a different story, but the last thing anyone wants is another case of exactly these problems associated with diesel. That would be my best guess as to why Mercedes will impose such limitations.
Tony 9:15PM (10/15/2007)
To davet - I get your point. Diesel should be cheaper and since it's a byproduct of gas it shouldn't be hard to produce. But in the world controlled by Big Oil/Politicians/Auto Co.'s diesel fuel seem to now be the opposite. From what I've heard about the type of Diesel Fuel we have in LA-LA Land and are supposed to get throughout the U.S. by 2010. Doing a Wikipedia Search I came up with this: "Diesel is generally simpler to refine than gasoline and often costs less (although price fluctuations sometimes mean that the inverse is true; for example, the cost of diesel traditionally rises during colder months as demand for heating oil, which is refined much the same way, rises). Also, due to its high level of pollutants, diesel fuel must undergo additional filtration which contributes to a sometimes higher cost." Again, like I said here in California Diesel cost as much if not more than Super/Supreme Gas.
To Racedriven - I also hope this Technology final does make it way to the Jeep Brand. Then maybe I will final get a 4dr Wrangler CDI and get some good fuel savings out of a nice SUV.
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Guenther 9:47PM (10/15/2007)
Main reason? It can. Diesel will cost whatever people are willing to pay for it. And as long as the supply is limited, prices will stay high.
Caution- conspiracy ahead
...with short supply cutting (thus high price) the advantage out of switching to a diesel, oil companies can continue to protect their record profits. Really, if I was an oil company, the last thing I would want to invest in, is hardware and technology do shrink demand for my product. I'm much better off spending 10% of that investment to get clueless politicians to tighten emission standards. That, in turn, will further increase the cost of a diesel option.
davet 12:42PM (10/16/2007)
OK, that was a serious answer. I don't know why diesel is so expensive in LaLa land, except perhaps that the formulation (LSD -> ULSD) has changed, and change is always a reason to increase the price.
This statement from Wikipedia is a little specious: "Also, due to its high level of pollutants, diesel fuel must undergo additional filtration which contributes to a sometimes higher cost." Engine out emissions from both diesel and gasoline have high levels of pollutants, gasoline probably higher now that ULSD is here. But we've had "additional filtration" for gasoline engines in the way of catalytic converters for 30 years so we take for granted the idea of having a cat. We now need to get used to the idea of treating diesel exhaust as well.
Jon 10:56PM (10/15/2007)
Sounds like a kick-ass car. If they can sell something like this for around $25k comparable to the Prius in mileage and emissions with better performance, and the fuel costs aren't exorbitant, They'll have a winning technology. It sounds within reach.
Someone enlighten me about the gasoline vs. diesel production dynamic, though. I've heard diesel described as a byproduct of gasoline production. Is it very flexible how much raw oil creates gasoline vs. diesel, or are there engineering limits there?
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