Audi to U.S. politicians: Diesels

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Audi to U.S. politicians: Diesels > hybrids and EVs

Posted by SharK at 10:16 AM

Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Audi, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

Audi A3 1.6 TDI - Click above for high-res image gallery

There's more to life than electric vehicles and hybrids, at least according to Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen, who's been an outspoken proponent against EVs in the past... like for instance when he said the Chevy Volt was "a car for idiots." During a speech at the National Press Club, de Nysschen seemed to back off such quotable statements, but he still showed a clear bias towards towards diesel, saying:

I understand why political leaders have fallen in love with hybrids and electrics. But this may be the one time you'll hear someone in Washington say it shouldn't be a monogamous relationship... I make no apologies for being the world's biggest diesel advocate.

The Obama Administration has pushed forward with plans to rapidly expand the EV market in the United States, but de Nysschen favors a strategy of letting consumers decide what kind of car they want to buy, saying that the government should not be "prejudging winning and losing technologies."

Gallery: Audi Efficiency Marathon A to B