One of the most frequently cited strengths of a diesel engine is reduced fuel consumption. All things being equal, a gallon of diesel will get you farther down the road than a gallon of regular gas. Naturally a report has surfaced to change that perception.
How is that possible? Isn't the reduced consumption a fact? Yes, sort of. It takes more oil to produce one gallon of diesel fuel than it does to make one gallon of gasoline. The ratio gets even worse when you're making ultra-low sulfur diesel, which is required for all diesels that meet current emissions regulations in the U.S. Oh, and burning that same gallon of diesel will release about 15 percent more greenhouse gasses than a gallon of diesel.
It looks like diesels may receive another setback if consumers start worrying about greenhouse gas emissions and how much oil it takes to produce a gallon of fuel. Does this information dissuade you from purchasing a diesel in the future, or would you trade some greenhouse gasses and oil for the extra torque and fuel economy?
Source: Slate