BMW will begin selling diesel-powered vehicles in the United States in 2007, according to a report in Automotive News April 13. Burkhard Goeschel, BMW AG’s board member for research and development, announced at Detroit’s SAE World Congress that BMW can meet 2007 emissions standards. The first model will likely be an SUV, the report said. BMW offers diesel engines in all but two of its models sold in Europe. Nearly one-half of all BMWs sold in Europe are powered by diesels. Honda, on the other hand, has been slow to invest in diesel technology, favoring hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell research instead. Honda only offers a diesel Accord and a diesel version of its CR-V SUV, both in Europe. A Honda executive said at the World Congress that the company is studying ways to offer diesel vehicles in the U.S., according to a separate report in Automotive News. He said the U.S. emission standard is so high the company does not currently have technologies to meet it.
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