http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=67880 Quote: . . . On Thursday, March 27, at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. Delaney and other Daimler executives addressed skepticism raised by competitors over the company’s plans to use selective catalytic reduction to meet 2010 Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards. The company’s brands include Freightliner, Western Star, Sterling and engine maker Detroit Diesel. Emissions reduction addresses both human stewardship and business needs, Delaney said, and SCR is best suited for both goals. “It flat-out needs to be done,” he said. Citing respiratory health problems linked to diesel exhaust, Delaney said Daimler’s road-proven BlueTec SCR system would deliver on the responsibility to reduce total emissions “to the lowest possible level ... But we also have a goal to provide truckers sound business solutions and to produce the most fuel-efficient trucks on the road.” The BlueTec SCR system, he said, would allow both goals to be achieved. . . . I bring this up because there seems to be an anti-hybrid bias by diesel advocates, which I don't understand. To me diesel engines and hybrid transmissions are like bread and butter, they go best together. Toss a turbo-charger on them and we should have the best of the best. Bob Wilson

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I like them both! I have a '91 Mercedes E-Class diesel with 318K miles - still gets 30 to 35 mpg. Also I have a '06 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Having both gives me fuel diversity - we can handle a shortage or price spike in either fuel type.
You used to be able to say that diesel was clearly better (for fuel economy and overall maintenance, but not for particulate and NOx emissions anyway). I don't think this is still true. Hybrid technology is more complex than older diesels sure; but now, we have added a lot of additional tech to diesels to get them quiet, odorless, high-performance, low emissions, low particulates, etc, and their complexity now approaches a hybrid system. Therefore I think there is room for both, at least until we have a solid infrastructure that can support fully electric, fuel cell, and other non-petroleum based vehicles.