US fuel economy push could lift platinum demand

Reuters
May 13, 2013

NEW YORK: A push by the United States to improve fuel efficiency could spur demand for platinum catalytic converters from leading car producers for diesel-powered vehicles, an executive of platinum specialist refiner Johnson Matthey said…

The “Big Three” American automakers, General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, are pressing to meet a government requirement for average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon (23.2 km per liter) by 2025, almost doubling the current fuel efficiency…

Diesel engines, mainly used in North American heavy-duty vehicles and trucks, tend to be more fuel efficient and offer more horsepower than their gasoline counterparts.

While cheaper palladium is widely used in gasoline vehicles, platinum is more heavily used in diesel engines to filter out harmful gas emissions.

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