Diesels Could Reach 20% of U.S. Market by 2020

Washington DC April 15, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that about 20 percent of the vehicles in U.S. could run on diesel fuels by the end of the next decade, a panel of auto executives said at the SAE 2008 World Congress.

Panelists also expected hybrid technologies to be in about 10 percent of vehicles by 2020, as consumers' thirst for fuel-sipping products continues.

Meanwhile, Magna International Inc. co-CEO Don Walker suggested there could global annual sales of 1.7 million hybrid vehicles by 2013. Of that, 765,000 of the sales would be in the U.S. The U.S. market is picking up dramatically.

Last year, 338,851 hybrids were sold in the U.S., up 34.5 percent from 251,870 in 2006, according to the Automotive News data center.

Ed Mantey, Toyota's vice president for engineering design, said collaboration in the vehicle development process is essential. He said there must be constant interaction between automakers and their suppliers through every stage of development.