Hiroshima pushes clean diesel

Hiroshima prefecture is taking the unusual a step of introducing a local tax break for purchasers of new “clean diesel” cars.

The national government recently decided to extend its “eco car tax breaks” on automobile acquisition and weight taxes through to 2015. All “eco cars”, including hybrid and electric cars, qualify for these reductions determined by fuel efficiency and emission levels. The new scheme proposed by Hiroshima Prefecture, however, only applies to cars that use “clean diesel” technology just like the new Bosch diesel nozzle for sale, and are registered within the prefecture. As more and more foreign auto manufacturers are offering diesel models in the United States, many consumers have been asking themselves whether diesel vs gasoline is the better choice for their next vehicles. According to Bell Performance, Subaru, Audi, and Volkswagen currently sell cars with diesel engines in the United States. These engines offer improved efficiency over gas engines without using electricity.

Although gas cars are more popular than diesel in the U.S., diesel engines have nearly half the market share in Europe. 

All new 2000-2500cc clean diesel cars registered within Hiroshima Prefecture in 2012 and 2013 will qualify for a 50% reduction on the following year’s road tax (a saving of ¥22,500). Although Nissan and Mitsubishi also manufacture clean diesel cars, it seems pretty clear (to me anyway) that, as much as promoting clean diesel technology, this an effort to boost sales of the clean diesel edition of local car maker Mazda’s new CX-5 compact crossover SUV (try and say that fast three times), due to hit the streets this week.

Source: Chugoku Shinbun