2010 diesel Nissan Maxima

In a move that signals a major commitment to diesel as an alternative-fuel powertrain, Nissan on Wednesday said it will launch its first clean-diesel engine in the U.S. in 2010 in the Maxima sedan.

Speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn laid out an ambitious plan for expanding clean-diesel technology into the product lineup in the near future. "You can expect to see more diesel engines in our product lineup in Europe, Japan, North America and China by fiscal year 2010," Ghosn said.

He did not provide any powertrain specifications for the 2010 Maxima. In a statement, Nissan said further details about the car, including its launch date, will be announced later. Nissan currently has diesel offerings in its cars sold in Europe.

Ghosn lauded the "potential benefits" of diesel, noting that there is growing demand in the U.S. for increased fuel economy and CO2 emissions reduction.