Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage

[Portlander 0]

Almost every car my dad has owned is a diesel - with which he used to get between 35-42 mpg.

A general few things to note with diesels:

1) The acceleration isn't as good compared to an equivalent petrol engine (for people who care about such things).

2) It can take longer to start - esp in winter as the fuel is less volatile you have to wait for the glow plugs to heat up.

3) The engine has to be serviced more often - diesel fuel being sootier, builds up engine residue rather quickly (again, compared to an equivalent petrol engine).

The glow plugs now heat up in less than a second. I've been driving old Mercedes diesels for years and the engines are unkillable and never need maintence. The accelleration is not as good, that much is true. However, they generally go faster.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Almost every car my dad has owned is a diesel - with which he used to get between 35-42 mpg.

A general few things to note with diesels:

1) The acceleration isn't as good compared to an equivalent petrol engine (for people who care about such things).

2) It can take longer to start - esp in winter as the fuel is less volatile you have to wait for the glow plugs to heat up.

3) The engine has to be serviced more often - diesel fuel being sootier, builds up engine residue rather quickly (again, compared to an equivalent petrol engine).

1. True, but modern Turbo-DICOR's can match a carburetted (but not fuel-injected) sparker in bhp, hence acceleration
   
2. Not a problem in the South, TX-OK or CA-NV-AZ-NM; however, could be a problem in UT, CO or northern states such as ND, MT, ID, MN--in AK, lots more troublesome
   

(I won't argue the last point)

[Portlander 0]

So is there a consensus here that although hybrids offer higher fuel efficiency, in the long run we'd be better off with a diesel?

Actually, the new Civic diesel got over 90 MPG during a speed test. Thats pretty darned good, and way better than the hybrids. Just a matter of time before they make hybrid diesel cars.

Battery technology is reaching the limits of current technology. It'll take a brand new approach to get too much farther beyond what we have now, and that could come tomorrow or in 100 years.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is interesting...

Much Cleaner Diesel Fuel to Finally Hit Pumps this Weekend

by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 10.11.06

The arrival of a new kind of diesel fuel might not be terribly breathtaking to most people, but it’s being called the biggest development in auto fuel since they took lead out of gasoline. The new diesel has been a long time coming (we mentioned it back in June), in fact the legislation took form under Clinton. But changing the entire diesel refinery industry is a slow thing, especially considering retaliatory lawsuits and a temporary stall by President Bush.

The new ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) will be at most pumps in the country by this Sunday, and will cost $.05 more than the older, sootier stuff. ULSD contains less than 15 parts per million of sulfur, compared to 500 ppm previously. This means 97% less sulfur than is currently allowed. MSNBC quoted a joint statement by the NRDC and Diesel Technology Forum saying, “[c]leaner diesel fuel will immediately cut soot emissions from any diesel vehicle by 10 percent. But when combined with a new generation of engines hitting the road in January, it will enable emission reductions of up to 95 percent.”And added that “[a] new 2007 diesel truck will emit just one-sixtieth the soot exhaust of one produced in 1988.” The new low sulfur fuel will release fewer emissions, but also allow engine makers to implement more advanced emissions control technologies, which will account for the greatest reduction. Currently, some state like Massachusetts and California don’t even allow the sale of new diesel passenger vehicles. The cleaner diesel fuel will open to door to new, efficient diesel cars which will also be candidates for biodiesel. Pictured above, Citroën’s C-Métisse diesel hybrid concept car. :: MSNBC and The New York Times

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/10/mu...aner_diesel.php

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15211662/

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/washingt...c6d&ei=5070

[Saddle Bronc 124]

So is there a consensus here that although hybrids offer higher fuel efficiency, in the long run we'd be better off with a diesel?

Actually, the new Civic diesel got over 90 MPG during a speed test. Thats pretty darned good, and way better than the hybrids. Just a matter of time before they make hybrid diesel cars.

Battery technology is reaching the limits of current technology. It'll take a brand new approach to get too much farther beyond what we have now, and that could come tomorrow or in 100 years.

Actually, hybrid-diesel technology has been available since © 1913; a "simple" matter of scaledown (from submarine to car).

[Portlander 0]

Like a Honda accord diesel 2.2l which gets 52.3 mpg

U.K., May 6, 2004 – Honda’s new Accord 2.2 i-CTDi Sport has this week set no fewer than 19 world speed records and achieved 3.07 litres / 100 km (92 mpg) fuel economy to boot.

I completely missed the 2004 date ... what happened to this car?

[Reba 2]

ooooooooooo, pretty

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

So is there a consensus here that although hybrids offer higher fuel efficiency, in the long run we'd be better off with a diesel?

Diesels offer better fuel economy and you don't have to worry about the disposal of the batteries as hazardous waste with hybrids.