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 ...
"IIRC diesel engines can idle at very low RPM's so there may be no advantage to shutting them down at stops?"
I realized that, after I posted the comment. Just thinking of all the semis idling at any truck stop should've jogged my memory.
So, maybe instead of computer-programmed shutdown, it would be an automatic, low RPM idle at stop, with shutdown only occurring by the driver turning off the ignition, or putting it in "park?" I'm not seeing something that could work at all with a manual transmission here.
Most well maintained diesels in cars and light trucks can run for at least 300-500K miles with no repairs while providing 25-40% decrease in fuel consumption.
Diesel fuel is less likely to propagate secondary explosions from islamobombers and normal traffic crashes.
I shall pay the capitalized hit converting to 3.9L and 5.9L Cummins in front of 5 speed NV4500 and 6 speed NV5400 in Jeeps to trucks. Fuel shall be rationed even if only by price. Ford may use the new IH 275 cid in their F-150 once D.C. masters get out of the way. A Honda diesel in their Element and 4,600# minivan would make durable family vehicles.
Ethanol spills contaminate our ground water the same as MtBE because those poisons are water soluble. Ethanol burns dirtier than gasoline.
The dirty diesel image is a carryover from Europe's soot problem cleaned up in the late '60's and '70's - which followed WWII's devastation and rebuilding.
But in doing so he was avoiding the tax on diesel fuel. Government logic. If they can't tax it, they don't want you to have it.
bump so I can find this and comment later...
(With all due respect,) That looks like 3X, not 4X.
Still, that's impressive. ;O)
All of this sounds like diesels are best for businesses and towing. It still doesn't seem to pay off for your average driver.
That's something I've never heard before. Some specs, please.
I was thinking in the metric system!
If the diesels there are as good as I've heard, we may be seeing a lot more of them in the US in a few years, but diesels are so despised here that I don't know if any advertising campaign could ever break through the conceptions people already have based upon old smelly smoke belchers they saw years ago.
A lot of people remember the disasterous GM automotive Diesels that were, basically, converted gas engines. A reliable Diesel has to be designed as such from the start, and GM tried to cut corners. I'm sure many people still shy away from Diesels because of the GM disaster.
Modern Diesel cars produce virtually no smell or smoke. The only way you can be sure you're behind one is the badge on the back.
Performance is still the only real drawback but if that's not an issue, then Diesels are a very viable option nowadays.
Americans have real short memories. I on the other hand, remember the GM diesel in their cars as well as the VW Rabbit diesel. It ran like crazy but smoked like a freight train.
I often wonder if the idea of an electric drive car (similar to the system used in locomotives) that uses a small diesel engine to provide the electricity would actually work and be more efficient than current vehicles and hybrids.
Here's the engine:
That's a tiny engine, small and light enough to lift. It's direct injection, turbocharged, charge air cooled 799-cc 3-cylinder common rail diesel with 40 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque. Not much, true, but then the car only weighs 1,600 pounds. That with a six speed automatic that has a sequential mode, and it's actually pretty peppy (I've driven one), especially compared to some hybrids.
Thank God those limited-government Republicans are in charge, huh?
I certainly believe a small turbocharged diesel is the way to go near term. A four cylinder diesel could easily carry a car the size of the Prius. If you need higher performance, you can add injected propane or nitrous to the fuel with water injection and inner cooler.
How does the M35-A2 multifuel engine know which fuel is which and doesn't care?
I've never figured how thermos bottles can be so smart as to keep hot hot and then cold cold too.
They can at least manage distribution of supplies while we all slowly starve in a fair and equitable manner. Unfortunately, they cannot conjure up a surplus of oil.
Gov't could have overridden complaints from the green sector and allowed major construction of nuclear plants 30 years ago, and there wouldn't be an energy problem today. But, they didn't, they have failed the people. The question now is how quickly or slowly we will starve.
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.