Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I was surprised to discover recently that diesel cars are apparently illegal in some parts of the US!
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That wording is a bit harsh and misleading: No state forbids a diesel car to drive through it, nor a resident to buy one. But certain diesel engines (older ones, which produce lung-threatening soot in greater quantities than gas-powered cars) cannot be
sold or registered in certain states, and even idling such a vehicle is illegal in some places. It is exclusively an emissions issue, and those vehicles that cannot meet requirements are forbidden to be brought into this country (same goes for 2-stroke engines).
As cleaner-burning diesels are being designed, the federal and state governments are reconsidering the sale and registration bans. Some diesels are sold legally in the U.S. today, though the higher cost of diesel in the U.S. (and remembrance of past performance issues) keeps them low in popularity around here.