Why is diesel so readily available? Most gas stations have at least one pump available for diesel fuel, sometimes with a diesel option at every single pump. With diesel powered vehicles only making up one percent of new car sales in 2011, it begs the question, who uses diesel? The short answer to that question is semi trucks, industrial agricultural equipment, and some models of passenger vehicles, overwhelmingly from European manufacturers. Diesel engines have long been popular in Europe, so why aren’t they popular in the U.S.?