You may have smirked at the latest Volkswagen commercial that takes a stab at the less-than-fun-to-drive aspect of many whisper-quiet hybrids. (As a car lover, I admit—I’m all for the power and fuel efficiency of a Jetta TDI.) The commercial’s message is timely, as Audi (a Volkswagen company) rolls out their own campaign: Clean Diesel = Energy Independence, in favor of more carbon-conscious fuels.

According to the data, converting just one-third of our nation’s vehicles to clean diesel would save 1.5 million barrels of foreign oil per day. Per day. Narrow it down and you’ll find that one drop of diesel fuel has 12 percent more power than the same amount of gasoline. Check out the “Truth in Diesel” video here.

I’m wondering: do you still think of diesel as a dirty word? And if you had the choice, would you opt for the clean diesel that’s fun to drive or the hybrid that is working to help eliminate fuels all together?