But that's only because they're loud, hard to start, and foul-smelling.
there’s not much difference in price today between diesel and gasoline
Watch Congress come up with a way to further handicap diesels. You read it here first.
Also it is harder to get a Diesel to burn other fuels than it is to get a gas engine to burn propane, ethanol etc.
An engine that can burn anything is the way we need to go, and as far as I know only a handful of Military Diesel Tanks were Omnivorous.
These folks have the solution: www.flexdi.com
Now if they can only get it run in HCCI mode....
An Omnivorous HCCI engine running at a constant RPM in a Series Hybrid like the Chevy Volt is the solution....
So why not a diesel hybrid?
I recently replaced my gas-powered 454 1-ton GMC crew cab dually with the same size Chev dually powered by a Duramax Diesel. Mileage has improved, both towing and not towing, by 70%. The Duramax will pay for itself in 3 years with the savings, and the power hauling up long grades is awesome.
FYI
Fact is, we’ve made enormous strides in both fuel efficiency and emissions over the last thirty years. But the enviros are still making the political argument that we’re destroying the planet.
Thanks for the article. I’m looking to replace an old SUV and am looking at a Mercedes diesel SUV, among others. This is an interesting read.
I’ve got a Cummins diesel Ram and love the power and MPG. We get 20-22MPG on the highway in an 8,000 lb 4WD truck. It has 120,000 miles on it which is considered “broke in” in diesel terms. There are many of the 5.9 Cummins known to have exceeded 1M miles without major engine work.
It’s a tad loud, but starts like a champ down to -10F and doesn’t smell. Below -10F, you do need to use the block heater and anti-gel.
VW built a diesel car that got over 50 MPG way back in the early 80s. But the thing was about as gutless as anything.
Then they turbo’d it. And the thing got better and better.
BTW..beware of the new diesels. They now have what they call a ash pan. I understand on the VW that the ash pan cannot simply be emptied. It has to be taken off and a new one installed, and it COST $1000.00. I do not know about the others...Cummins in the Dodges, Navistar in the Ferds and Isuzu in the GMs. I suspect they will have to do the same.
One other thing. My brother bought a Ford Hybred. He was cackling about the 34 MPG he was getting with it. BLAH BLAH BLAH! On it went..till I ask if it would ever get 54 MPG like my VW bug has got on the road and 48 MPG it gets average. And that is from a 2000 model!
He shut up.
We rented a VW diesel in Scotland a few months ago. D@mn nice car. I might have to buy one.
I’m holding out for a diesel Honda Element. When Honda makes one, I’m buying it.
I REALLY would like a new Jetta Diesel-— but the problem with buying a diesel now - the new fuel standards and engines require the newer ultra-low sulfur fuel - which I have yet to see a station carry yet. So buy a diesel today - and cannot fuel it up tomorrow... not a good proposition.
That being said - I saw a 2007 Jeep Liberty 4X4 Diesel the other day that I was seriously tempted to buy.
Get the fuel supply issue taken care of (without further skinning the consumer with crazy prices) and Diesel looks promising.
FR bookmark
Diesels are only good for about 30% improvement in mpg, and yes they run fine on veggie oils. The original diesel was made to use peanut oil as fuel. But magic bullet, I think not.