We Do. They Don't (Part II)

As you've heard me say in the past, it isn't just our engineering team that feels responsibility to design a stylish, multi-faceted vehicle with solid performance that also affects change in the way automobiles are manufactured, but the entire Local Motors team.
This was reinforced today by one of our web developers, Andy Cronk.

Despite being up until nearly 3 AM last night working on the semi-closed Alpha launch of the Design Competition web page, and compiling incoming data all day today from that launch, he made it a point to direct me to an article he read online about diesel engines and Detroit's inability to embrace the diesel market as a viable source of cleaner, more fuel efficient sources of automotive power here in the United States. The article also points out that consumers are a bit blind to the fact that diesels are not only 30% more efficient than gasoline powered vehicles, but maintain their value far better than gasoline powered cars.

I have also mentioned previously the notion of automakers moving to smaller gasoline engines such as the V6 instead of V8 power and even the use of a V6 Diesel. The only one of the Big Three that offers such a V6 Diesel is the very same engine used in the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec (Chrysler uses it in their Jeep Grand Cherokee). This is also one of the engines that we are seriously considering as our powerplant for the first Local Motors vehicle and possibly beyond.

Make no mistake about it, the timing of our inception and the plan that has been put into action coinciding with this slow movement by large auto makers in the U.S. to make diesel powered vehicles more visible and more available in the U.S. is no mistake. Yet another example of a situation where "We do. They Don't."

This is summarized best by the author of the article when he says,

"Detroit will arrive to the party late, proving once again that for every inaction there is an equal and opposite market reaction. European and Japanese car companies will import their diesels and steal more of Detroit's market share."

Add Local Motors to that list including the European and Japanese car companies stealing the diesel market share!