How about diesel cars?

I have worked for 15 years on diesel engines for American made cars sold in Europe. Diesel technology has come a long way in those 15 years. The modern diesel powered car is quiet, no smell, outperforms gas cars, and starts well in the winter. On top of that, they get about 30% more miles on a gallon of fuel than gas cars can get. The Eruopeans love them. However, the EPA and CARB have set the NOx emissions rules so stringently that it is almost prohibitively expensive to sell diesel cars in the US market. If we lobbied our lawmakers to accept the same diesel emission limits that the Europeans accept, and if 50% of car buyers chose diesel, we would have a 15% reduction in auto fuel use with current technology. That has to make an impact on fuel prices.

Ken Goss

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Smoley on September 27, 2008 at 8:57pm: Just think of the MPG if auto makers had the brains to make a diesel/electric hybrid rather than continue to use a gasoline engine.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff Smoley on September 27, 2008 at 8:50pm: I have posted this in other areas on Pickensplan, but will add this here:
There is new technology for vehicles, from cars to trucks available now, either in prototype or production that will greatly help with our energy issues. CNG is a so-so solution, due to the massive, heavy tank needed to contain the 3600 PSI needed to get any range at all.
My proposed solution uses the following technologies, all posted in various places.
#1. A light weight, ceramic, rotary diesel cycle, multi-fueled engine. Doesn't need cooling or lubrication! It can run on diesel fuel, bio-diesel, CNG, propane, alcohol or various combinations.
#2. A light weight ceramic generator.
#3. A small light weight steam type rotary engine that will run off the exhaust heat (not gas pressure) of the diesel engine (this will power another ceramic generator).
#4. Light weight, high efficiency, flat electric motors.
#5. The new light weight, high energy density lithium batteries from Stamford.
#6. Optionally, the paint on or spray on, thin film photo-voltaics to help charge the batteries when the vehicle is in daylight.
#7. Optionally, plug in charging.

Using plug in charging, photo-voltaics and alternative fuels, these vehicles (heavy trucks) should get over 100 MPG when running using the fueled engines to charge batteries and run the electric engines. This means 100 MPG is the worst case MPG. One reason for these savings is the vehicle will be much lighter. The motor/generator section without the additional steam section would range between 150 to 250 pounds (compare this to a present truck diesel and transmission. The batteries would be about 350 pounds and the electric motors about 260 pounds (for 4 of them). Heavy trucks could use 6 electric motors, and two could be unpowered, depending on load and hills, etc. Add regenerative braking and the MPG picture is even better.
I have attempted contacting every US auto maker and John Deere, without success. Deere Co. was the only one to respond, asking me to fill out a non-disclosure agreement, obviously not reading my entire e-mail.
I have no financial interest in any of the companies that make these products, I just put 2 + 2 together. That is what engineers do.
So, if anyone has a contact at a US auto maker, please pass this on to them. All I ask in return is one free van type vehicle every 7 years, if they think this is appropriate. They can also use my name as the person who thought this up, or not. Any other compensation is at their will. I would rather get nothing and have these vehicles built than make millions and still have to drive what is available today. Please don't tell non-US auto makers about this until we have exhausted all attempts with the US makers.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ray Phillips on October 10, 2008 at 6:20pm: I just read this article about what Volvo is doing. One of the interesting things is a Diesel-Eectric hybrid. They are also talking about a plug in hybrid. The story is on the link below.

http://www.automotive-fleet.com/News/Story/2008/10/Volvo-Cars-Prese...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by michael sondgeroth on October 10, 2008 at 10:38pm: that seems to make sence to me , i know theres new ways to make diesel to run cleaner now , good thought

i have another thought too that chysler tried in the 50s all the way to the 802 is the turbine engine it runs on just about anything , i saw the 101 cars to drive show ,i liked that car ,; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Colt Lewis on October 12, 2008 at 12:35pm: I totally agree the diesel engines are great. Have you ever heard of Dimethyl Ether? It works as a great diesel alternative whether mixed with petro-diesel or bio-diesel. The fact of the matter is ethanol can not help diesel engines the way ether can. Ether can be made from syngas, so it is easy and economical to make.

Talk about future!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ray Phillips on November 21, 2008 at 4:52pm: Even Porche is working with diesel technology. Note that the Cayenne may soon be a hybrid as well.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/porsche-cayenne-diesel.html; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ray Phillips on November 23, 2008 at 6:09pm: This is interesting, the 2009 VW Jetta TDI was named Green Car of the Year, beating out a couple of hybrids and the Smart fortwo.

http://www.automotive-fleet.com/News/Story/2008/11/Volkswagen-s-200...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shelly Thomas on November 23, 2008 at 11:35pm: Diesel is dirty -- we have to stop putting C02 into the atmosphere. I'm not sure how much biodiesel pollutes, but if it does, it should not be used. We need electric cars asap!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ray Phillips on November 25, 2008 at 8:19pm: Clean diesel is here now. While there are electric cars available now, they have a short range. Putting more clean diesel cars on the road will cut down on CO2 emissions for the time being while EV's are being developed further.; ▶ Reply to This