europeans were driving diesel well before there was any refinement or tax credit. I call bs, since there weren't any "incentives" prior to 1989 that i am aware of. And diesels were common then as well.
Also the "premium" on diesel is an artificial creation.
1. Auto makers keep shortening production cycles and model year changes to make the public buy more often, this is not benificial to society, longer runs would reduce cost of production, improve reliability, reduce repair costs and the list goes on.
which killed the chrysler turbine car and the electric car.
2. Auto makers developed the attitude of the american public to suite their bottom line over many years of advertising, surprizingly japanese regularly drive in a hypermiling way (slowly) without massive backlash, culturally their government and authority figures promote saving, a foreign concept here except during wwii.
3. Diesels in american face unique laws, most environmental laws (not all) are written ver-betum from a large special interest, auto companies here play a very large role in laws pertaining to their own product, always have always will. They need to isolate our market and have done so relatively well, no rickshaws or kei cars here.
or air cars ..cars driven by only compressed air Compressed air car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .
4. The car buying public excludes most people on this forum, because the only sale that counts is a new car sale. The people who buy new cars tend to not share the same ideals as folks who never buy new cars. This means a large interest is being ignored because of the price divide between folks who buy true used cars and those that only buy new. Those who buy used have had much of their "choice" removed by the car buying public.
you once could buy a stripped down car with only a heater, straight 6, three on the tree and rubber mats.
5. Due to above auto makers "have" to sell fancier more powerfull diesels that also are more expensive, my lowly 6.2 diesel had a cost of production within 5% of a 454 gas engine. Poor mans diesels are rarely made anymore but that isn't to say they "couldn't" be made either or that they would not be marketable either. Perspectives can change over time.
Our problems are created by our own ignorance and the ease of manipulation, if we were taught differently as folks in japan and other areas of the world are; we would gradually gain a different attitude and the so called impossible would become commonplace.
Sadly its not in the best financial interest of a few to have that happen. A dramatic shift would alienate many special interests from their profit system.