DEARBORN, MI — The Mercury Meta One concept vehicle, to be displayed at the Detroit Auto Show, showcases the world's first partial zero emissions vehicle (PZEV) diesel powertrain, according to Ford Motor Co. on December 27. Mercury Meta One is an advanced research vehicle concept from Ford Motor Company displaying the evolution of automotive design, research and engineering with emerging safety features, personal electronics, and the world's first PZEV diesel hybrid. Designed to be a PZEV-capable diesel hybrid powertrain, the Mercury Meta One not only provides 431 lb.-ft. of torque but also is 97-percent cleaner than the Tier I emissions standard for NOx. Meta One shows that diesels can potentially meet the strictest emissions standards when combined with modern hybrid and after-treatment technologies. The Meta One concept draws its power from a twin-turbocharged V-6 diesel engine and an electric motor in the modular hybrid transmission that together produce as much torque as a large V-10 gasoline engine — with much lower fuel consumption. Combined with an exhaust after-treatment system, the powertrain provides a combination of power and purity. The Mercury Meta One concept's engine is calibrated to run on a biomass-sourced diesel fuel that minimizes the vehicle's overall production of carbon dioxide or CO2, a "greenhouse gas" that is a primary contributor to global warming. The fuel can be blended with conventional diesel fuel to provide a corresponding reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. Since the fuel comes from biological feedstocks that absorb CO2 during their growth, the fuel is said to close the "carbon loop" because the vehicle's carbon emissions are offset by the carbon-negative fuel production. Mercury will build a new production crossover vehicle in 2007. Meta One explores adaptation of the Mercury design DNA to a crossover and gives a hint of what such a product could represent for the brand.