Posted on 08/08/2005 10:40:08 AM PDT by newgeezer
Automakers are eager to sell you a diesel-powered vehicle. ... The new energy bill establishes a tax credit as large as $3,400 for diesels, matching the break allowed for hybrids.
Diesel-fueled vehicles do afford somewhat better mileage and may not require as much maintenance as gasoline-burners. But now and for years to come, the U.S. refining industry simply cannot produce enough diesel fuel to accommodate a significant increase in the number of vehicles that burn it.
At this year's auto show in New York, a DaimlerChrysler executive responsible for research and technology cited the success of diesel-engine automobiles in Europe while suggesting that these vehicles could gain a 5 to 10 percent share of the U.S. market. ...
European governments, working with automakers, have persuaded their citizens to replace gasoline-powered cars with diesel. They set tax rates to render diesel fuel cheaper than gasoline. But oil companies had no reason to invest in additional equipment for diesel production. Demand for diesel therefore bumps against the limit of supply. The marketplace will remedy such a situation, but it will be slow (because building new refining equipment takes time) and painful (because high-cost fuel hurts the financially weak the most).
... Europe has raised its diesel quality standards to such a high level that very few refineries in other parts of the world can manufacture an acceptable product. Interestingly, the United States can. During a few months last winter, U.S. refiners quietly shipped diesel to Europe. Due to our own demand, that could not continue.
These exports undoubtedly raised U.S. prices while they lasted. In this country, we burn diesel mostly for commercial transportation. As our economy expands, we will need more fuel for trucks and locomotives to transport goods. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
"How is that not better than a car full lead core batteries and gasoline generator?"
It's an illusion created to please the "green" crowd. Diesels are percieved as "dirty."
There were special edition, high mpg Honda Civics in the eighties that got 52 mpg with unleaded gasoline, too.
The ultimate hybrid would be a small displacement diesel, low horsepower but high torque, combined with electric engines at each drive wheel. You'd likely see EPA numbers at or above 75 mpg with such a setup. Only question would be the automatic shutdown and restarting of a diesel, particularly in very cold weather.
not necessarily, they got plenty of land to build farms to get vegetable oil....you could use plain vegetable oil with a few fuel line mods..on just about any diesel...
that would be win - win - win-win-win-win..
1) less money for middle east
2) C02 neutral
3) instead of farm subsidies, farmers can make money growing fuel
4) distribution system already in place (some mods needed)
5) better mileage than gas
6) Less toxic refineries
7) Cars might cost less because engines would be simpler
to build (offshoot, less autoworkers, Less union power)
It's being done already,...I wonder why the Sierra club,
and other conservation groups haven't jumped on the bandwagon (my guess is that they make money selling hatred of the oil companies, and many republicans (even though some democrats are also tied to the oil industry (i.e. Jerry Browns family had Indonesian oil holdings) and so they don't have enough money to actually do anything.
My wife has been saying this for YEARS! "Drilling" is only part of the solution. Yoo many people believe that when oil comes out of the ground, it is boxed and shipped to the filling station via FedEx.
(shaking head/rolling eyes)
So we would be driving locomotives. Cool!
Of course the downside of that is that sales of new autos would drop because people wouldn't be piling the mileage on theirs and not need to trade them in as soon. :(
PS- Just calculated that in MPG:
approx 5.5liters/100kilometers = just over 40MPG
And it won't sell in CA. They love their Heinz 57 Variety of boutique fuels.
Bull, modern emessions equipment on diesel engines and lower sulfur content fuels result in more more pollution than standard gasoline engines.
The government needs to standardize the new deisel standards, so that things like TDI will be viable in the non commercial market.
All the mileage of a hybrid, and none of the nonsense! TDI is definately the way to go as far as I'm concerned... on larger commercial vehicles such as Buses the government is already funding working test cases of Deisel/Electric Motors for them (no no the battery nonsense liek the prius) but where the deisel is a turbine generating electricity which drives electric motors that turn the wheels... similar to what Deisel Locomotives, and large construction equipment have used for years... and it looks very promising.
Deisel as far as I can tell is a FAR FAR FAR more viable solution at the moment than hybrid.
"The ultimate hybrid would be a small displacement diesel, low horsepower but high torque, combined with electric engines at each drive wheel."
I'm with you on that...
How does that work? If I earn 100k per year, how would I reduce my taxes by 10k?
Everyone paying attention knows refining capacity is limiting US gas production... not supply of crude. We haven't built a new refinery in 30 years, but our demand for gas has doubled.....
We need new refineries and thanks to the huge expense, and the enviro weinie and government red tape, NO private company can justify the investment.
California wants to alleviate its deficites? I say, build a refinery, and then contract it out to a private gas company to run it... This is a win win, but no one is even talking about it.
Cost advantage? I have to buy one diesel every 500,000 miles instead of one gasoline powered vehicle every 100,000 miles, and I get 4 times better mileage when towing compared to gasoline engines. (Mileage is the same as gasoline when I'm not towing). In July and August alone I saved over $3,100 in fuel costs.
"How does that work? If I earn 100k per year, how would I reduce my taxes by 10k?"
You wouldn't be reducing your taxes by 10K, you'd be reducing your taxable income by 10K. It's a deduction, meaning that you'd be able to just subtract $3,400.00 or whatever amount, off your tax bill. That ($3,400.00) would effectively offset income in the range of around $10,000.00 to $12,500.00, depending upon your income tax "bracket."
Well you got to have something to write about. We probably have way too many journalists in the world just like we have too many lawyers. When you have too many, you have to make up topics or you sound just like everyone else.
try 30% or better. PLUS, not needing petroleum as a sole fuel source.
IIRC, after the diesel boom ended (mid-late '80's) the Fed raised tax on diesel (not gas) making diesel higher.
Prior to that, diesel = 85%+/- of $gas
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