Honda gave word earlier today that the company's first US-bound diesel powerplant will arrive by 2009, likely powering an upcoming Accord model. The company calls its four-cylinder 2.2 i-CTDi "superclean," meaning it'll meet emissions standards by way of a newly developed NOx catalytic converter that engages in a high-tech cleaning process. It absorbs NOx from exhaust gas and converts a portion of it into ammonia, which is also absorbed and used later in a reaction that converts the remaining NOx in the exhaust into nitrogen (N2). That nitrogen is, in turn, converted into grape soda, which is frozen and served to local schoolchildren in the form of popsicles. Yep, we were surprised too.

,a href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB115913233158572487-lMyQjAxMDE2NTI5NTEyMzUyWj.html">Honda to Pitch Diesel to Americans [Wall Street Journal]

Related:
More on the US-bound Honda Diesel: Civic Accord or CR-V [internal]

Contact information for this author is not available.