Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric vehicles grab a lot of headlines today. But diesel engines are planning their revenge. On the heels of BMW's announcement that it will import a complete lineup of diesel-powered models to the U.S, comes a competition success in the UK. A two-man team recently proved that the diesel engines are capable of achieving fuel mileage rivaling alternative-fuel/green car icons, like Toyota’s Prius.
The duo’s fuel-efficient driving efforts over the 64-mile route between Brighton and London netted them a win in the Internal Combustion Engine class. The route included miles of uphill sections and busy London traffic, according to a release from BMW UK.
“It is an incredible achievement for a BMW to achieve over 100 mpg on a busy Saturday morning drive from Brighton into central London. Hybrids and electric cars certainly have an important future, but it shows that people shouldn’t write off the internal combustion engine yet, as its efficiency is improving all the time,” said Clarke on Green-Car-Guide.com.
The team also claimed “more than 90 mpg” during a 500-mile roundtrip in the BMW. Unfortunately for U.S. consumers the 116d EfficientDynamics isn’t available stateside. But that could change soon (see earlier story)
The Brighton to London RAC Future Car Challenge event was first introduced in 2010 to showcase low energy use vehicles. It features competitors driving electric, hybrid, hydrogen and low-emission conventional petrol and diesel cars from Brighton to London, using the least amount of energy possible. The event is a real-world test of current and future vehicle technology. ––Paul Duchene
