A new report on the world diesel industry focuses on the role that the technology will play in future markets, together with the introduction of hybrid models.

The study by Research and Markets (R&M), which is titled Global Market Review of Diesel Technology and Markets - Forecast to 2011, underlines that the US is now following Europe's lead in terms of customer diesel adoption rates, but that this could change.

It states: "Until recently, diesel cars were largely confined to western European markets, since these were not traditionally oil-producing nations. Now global oil stocks are in decline and nations such as the US, that have been oil producers find they are now net oil importers.

"Given these factors, coupled with emissions legislation, we will see the spread of diesel cars beyond western Europe, where in 2005 some 49 per cent of new cars registered were diesel-powered.

Among the other areas the report discusses in full is the role diesel and electric hybrids will play in the marketing of the future. It states that while full hybrid technology may be expensive in the short-term it may be possible for an element of it to be introduced to current models with internal combustion engines.

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