Apropos of this, what is GM thinking by offering a diesel Cruze? I get why a diesel in a truck might have some appeal, diesels are associated with semi's so putting one in a pickup truck imparts the strength and durability of an 18 wheeler. But Americans have always hated diesel cars because the other association people have with semi's is that they are loud and filthy. European's like diesels because the fuel taxes on diesel oil in Europe are significantly less than the taxes on gas, but that doesn't apply in the US. If GM needs a more fuel efficient Cruze they already have it. All they have to do is replace the 18.4KVh battery in the Volt with a 2.5KVh battery, rip out the plugin charger, and slap a name plate on the back that says Cruze Hybrid. The Cruze Hybrid would be about 300 lbs lighter than the Volt, due to the much smaller battery, so it would have and EPA rating of about 45 MPG which is much better than they could get with a diesel Cruze.
