Diesel-powered race Peugeot
New US standards for diesel fuel that went into effect June 1 are expected to open the door for auto manufacturers to introduce more diesel-powered cars to the US market, industry analysts say.The new environmental rules require a 97 percent reduction in the sulfur content of highway diesel fuel, from its current level of 500 parts per million (ppm), to 15 ppm. Refiners were required to start producing this cleaner fuel as of Thursday, and it should be available nationwide by October 15.
In addition to the obvious benefit of reducing emissions from the 13 million heavy trucks using diesel fuel, the new cleaner fuel could make it easier for automakers to introduce more passenger diesel cars that meet strict US emissions standards.
The new cleaner diesel fuel “opens up the door of opportunity” to sell more diesel cars and light trucks in the US market, says Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.
“Diesel has not had a great public image as a technology but that is changing. The new diesel engines have no visible exhaust, no smoke, the noise is equivalent to a gasoline model, and it offers 20 to 40 percent better fuel economy.”
Additionally, Schaeffer said, a diesel engine offers more “torque,” or acceleration capability, compared with an equivalent gasoline engine.
Currently, only a handful of diesel-powered passenger cars are sold in the US market by Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler, along with several large pickup trucks from General Motors and Ford.
But on Thursday Chrysler Group said it will offer a diesel engine option for its 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, making it the first diesel-powered, full-size sport-utility vehicle to be offered in the United States.
Notwithstanding the automobile industry, the new regulations will have a major environmental benefit by cutting emissions, including a number of cancer-causing pollutants, from 13 million big diesel trucks on US roads.
“Diesels are the workhorse of American transportation, and now diesel engines can be much much cleaner,” said Bruce Hill, scientist for the Clean Air Task Force.
We have a few members of the DU Army who can add authoritative comment about this article. I hope they drop by, today.
Meanwhile, I spoke to a bud at FedEx and he said the several hundred diesel-hybrids [a category not mentioned in the article] they’ve already added in a market or two in the East Coast have cut their fuel costs 50%.
#35: Diesel-electric is great! Our local quarry has been using this in dump trucks and bulldozers for many years.
Our fire truck and ambulance diesels use heated air instead of glow plugs. It takes a minute or two for it to heat up but it seems to work pretty well in cold weather (we are on the Canadian border and see -20F every year).
I’d still plug in a core heater overnight just to reduce engine wear or better yet — garage it.
Good discussion folks. It’s wonderful that we’re moving from #2 diesel (500 ppm sulpher content) to ULSD (15 ppm). That will greatly improve particulate material emitted from diesels. There are still NOx gasses, hydrocarbons, non-methane organic compounds, and formaldehyde. Diesels emit all of these toxic gases at a significantly higher rate than gas motors do. Indeed, 100% biodiesel still emits more per mile than an efficient gas motor. It’ll probably a number of years before diesels out perform gas motors in terms of emissions. Even when you consider the better mpgs of diesels. As a side, diesels get better mpgs because diesel fuel contains more btus of energy than does gas. It’s not the motor as much as the fuel. This isn’t to say that there aren’t many other reasons to burn biodiesel. If you drive a diesel, and care about foreign policy and local economies, burn it as much to the highest percentage possible. Diesels just have a ways to go if we’re looking for clean air.
Jesse Engum
Portland Oregon
Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
more yuppies with diesels!!!!
=’s higher fuel prices for the ones that actually have a need for it
What is the difference between home heating fuel and diesel?
I presently heat my home with home heating fuel but am switching to natural gas in the fall.
My fuel oil company topped up my tank and I am now the proud owner of 800+ liters of oil I wont be using, how nice of them to top me up in late spring!
I have to get rid of the oil tank and it is going to cost me $150 to hire someone to pump it out and remove it.
I’m buying a diesel van and figure why waste the 800+ liters of home heating fuel that cost me a pretty penny if I can simply use it in my van instead?
Any thoughts?
Will it run ok in my van?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Bob: martini_guy_ca@hotmail.com