New Honda Gets 62.8 mpg... And It's a Diesel

Green fanatics often get excited about hybrid auto technologies, but Honda's latest news proves that even old tech can get an upgrade into something that's better for the environment. Case in point: Honda's new (concept) Accord runs on standard diesel fuel... but it gets 62.8 miles per gallon, making it "about as clean as a new Toyota Prius." It runs on biodiesel, too, which would make it even cleaner.

Why bother with non-electric technology today? The advantage of diesel over hybrid tech is primarily power: Cars with diesel engines tend to have faster pickup and superior top speeds. Plus, old concerns about the smelliness and pollution of diesel fuel have largely been eliminated in recent years, as improved refining methods have made diesel, in many cases, a cleaner alternative to regular gasoline. Hybrid cars still use gas, of course, but this battery-free Accord just uses less.

There are few details on how the car was engineered to reach such lofty mpg heights (a source only mentions that "changes have taken place in the engine"), but regardless of how they did it, it sounds like a great step in the right direction. Now how about a hybrid that also uses this super-clean-diesel technology. Too much?

LINK: A diesel Honda? That gets 62.8 miles a gallon?