Posted on 03/18/2008 7:59:57 AM PDT by ZGuy
As Jeff Dunham and ‘Walter’ say
Prius: nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngaaaaaaaaaay
I don't know if it enough to matter, but the battery serves as the equivalent of a secondary fuel tank, so the test results will change if you are filling it up from your primary tank during the trip, or if you start with it full and are discharging it during the trip.
You're right about diesel fuel economy, but in the past only small cars like VW Jettas could nudge past 50 mpg. A 5-Series BMW matching that *is* impressive.
Soon. They had to come into compliance with new diesel emmission laws in the US. Mercedes calls their version BlueTec. More manufacturers should be coming out with their diesel engines soon.
Mercedes-Benz Preps a Trio of 50-State Diesel SUVs
By Matthew Phenix March 17, 2008 | 12:06:25 PMCategories: Diesel, New Vehicles
In the biggest clean-diesel push by a European automaker yet, Mercedes-Benz is set to roll out three Bluetec sport-utility vehicles, joining the E320 Bluetec sedan in showrooms. The 2009 GL320, ML320, and R320 Bluetec models (pictured here, left to right), supplant the older-tech CDI diesel models in the Mercedes range. They employ a 3.0-liter V-6 with a variable nozzle turbocharger and common-rail direct injection, producing 208 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, and matched to a seven-speed manu-matic transmission.
The company is claiming the diesels will improve fuel economy by 20 to 30 percent, and return a cruising range of up to 600 miles. As for performance, we enjoyed a brief but informative drive in the largest of the three, the GL320, not to mention an extended visit with the E320 Bluetec, we can say that the 3.0-liter engine is startlingly quiet and truly V-8-like in its pulling power (it has more torque than the top-drawer GL550’s 5.5-liter gasoline V-8).
Although the E320 Bluetec brought to market the first stages of Mercedes’ clean-diesel technology — including a particulate filter and an oxidation catalytic converter — these new vehicles introduce AdBlue urea-injection to further mitigate noxious nitrogen oxides. Unlike the outgoing CDI models, which aren’t for sale in California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or Vermont, the new Bluetec diesels are 50-state-legal. They reach showrooms this
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/03/we-drive-the-20.html
ROFL!!!!
I would say that they do.
But since alternators generate electricity only when needed, any power that you recover from regenerative braking would reduce the amount of time the alternator needs to use engine power for charging the electrical system.
hehe...
BMW has done some work on steam powered hybrids as well. The steam engine can add 15% to the fuel economy.
Diesel was $3.95 a gallon the last time I looked.
I’m not totally sure what the requirements are for diesel powered vehicles here. I think it has something to do with the vehicle weight. The reason 3/4 ton trucks traditionally have them but 1/2 tons don’t. VW has some cars here and so does Mercedes, but Toyota has had diesel powered pick-ups for decades in other countries and not here.
You can say that again!
Also note the 100 horsepower advantage for the BMW.
What I don’t get about diesel fuel prices - Just a month ago, diesel was just over 20 cents per gallon higher than regular unleaded (at least around here).
When crude prices jumped to records, and regular unleaded started climbing by 5 cents or so per day, diesel jumped 20 cents per day. Now the differential is 60 cents. I don’t get it. Diesel demand didn’t change that fast.
Very well written entertaining story.
But the Europeans have been been burning ultra-low sulfur diesel for years - and have had regulations on emissions as strict or more so for years.... The problem is new certifications required in this country (even though the European standards meet or exceed all the US standards.... gotta make them pay for recertification...).
That would help, but one of the design goals of the hybrid is to alow nearly invisible transition from electric to gas power.
Diesels don’t like to gat cold and then start up quickly.
“Can you say “stick your tongue out” at those pompous hybrid owners????”
I don’t own one, but a number of Freepers have hybrids. Most of them seem to like them. Not every hybrid owner is pompous, just as not every BMW owner is pompous — although some certainly are. Or have you forgotten that BMW is one of those “prestige” brands?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.