Amazing: the US automobile industry discovers the Diesel engine...

[Phil]

Diesel engines have long been touted in the UK as "green" and "non-polluting" simply because they don't contain tetraethyl lead and, eventually, the CO emissions were brought under control. However, the hydrocarbon emissions they produce are filthy and a great deal more hazardous to public health than unleaded petrol. Ethanol is very clean by comparison and burns very efficiently to carbon dioxide and water - mere greenhouse gases - but the energy-per-gallon figure is a lot less than diesel or petrol. It also makes little sense to have constantly to toss up the 'economic' advantages of whether to convert a grain crop into food or fuel - but probably inevitable in the long term.

Phil M1GWZ





On 26 Apr 2012, at 06:20, Robert Stratton wrote:

> I'm with you, gents. I was reading news about Virginia debating whether to renew the HOV waiver for hybrids and was thinking that if they really cared about fuel usage, they'd include modern diesels in the waiver. 
> 
> I would suggest you get a pre-2007 though. (I love my 2005 CDI and its 500 Nm torque) The new ones ("Bluetec") have a urea solution tank and if it runs dry the engine nags you and then eventually will refuse to start at all. That's a little too much micromanagement for my taste. 
> 
> --Bob S.
>