Hoping to tap into renewed consumer interest in fuel efficiency, DaimlerChrysler AG plans to resume selling a diesel version of one of its Mercedes-Benz sedans in the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal. The German luxury-auto maker said it will start selling a diesel version of its E-Class sedan in the U.S. in 2004, the Journal said. The turbocharged car, to be sold as a 2005 model-year vehicle, will average 34 miles a gallon, an improvement of more than 20 percent from the comparable gasoline version, Mercedes said, acdording to the Journal. Diesel-powered cars often get as much as 30 percent better fuel economy than gasoline-powered vehicles. But according to the Journal, many environmentalists remain skeptical that diesels can be made environmentally safe. In recent months, however, environmental regulators, as well as auto officials, have said they are increasingly confident many automakers will be able to clean up their diesel engines enough to meet the strict U.S. guidelines, according to the Journal.