The brain trust at Volkswagen is turning to one of its newest business partners to propel the company’s vehicles into the green age. Volkswagen is advancing its partnership with battery manufacturer Sanyo to achieve the goal of a hybrid vehicle in the 2010 model year. The two companies have worked together on NiMH battery packs and the goal of the renewed partnership is a new line of Li-ion batteries.

As carmakers look to the future and rethink diesel a Kelley Blue Book marketing study suggests they might need to think again even in the advent of the 2008 car showings.

The study shows that about 6% of Americans think diesel cars could be in our future as opposed to the 40% supporting the growth of the hybrid. The minority may visit the 2008 car shows in support of the new diesel offerings from Jeep, Mercedes-Benz and VW. It is hard to say however, if their support will carry carmakers into the future even though the registration of diesel passenger vehicles was up 80% from 2000 to 2005 according to information compiled by Polk.

Along with the favorable Polk data, another report from May 2007 compiled by UBS Limited, Is Diesel Set to Boom in the U.S.?, indicates that diesel will surpass hybrids in the next five years in sales. Can it? Diesel brings back memories of dirt and noise, ooooh that smell. Is the diesel of the future any different?