Akron Beacon Journal. Industry forecaster J.D. Power and Associates projects sales of 1.5 million diesels in 2009, nearly four times the 423,000 hybrids it expects by then. Power expects hybrid sales to reach 91,000 this year and diesels to log 400,000.

Automotive Technology Research Group of Thousand Oaks, Calif., says U.S. diesel sales could triple to 1.4 million units by 2007 and reach 2 million by 2009.

However, [Ed] McLaughlin [a partner in Automotive Technology Research Group] predicts meeting the 2007 emissions rules could drive up diesel’s costs by $1,000 to $2,000 per vehicle at a time when hybrid costs will drop as the technology is offered on more models.

And then there is the diesel hybrid—the best of both.