Matt125.

I don't think you get it.

I, and a lot of others like diesels. I have owned them and driven them many times.

But, in the uS, they do not make sense when diesel fuel is much more expensive than gasoline and they cost more to buy than gasoline cars do.

Now, if you could convert it to a "veggie" oil car that you could use with alternative fuels, then it might be less expensive to operate.

Until then, I will stick to gas or maybe get a plug-in hybrid later. Being able to charge at night and drive it to work on electric power only would be fine with me. That is something that a diesel just can't do.

 

No I get it, I just think some people on here misread my original post. Not much gets by me

 

this is only from a CO2 standpoint, and not doesn't look at the other tailpipe emissions. It's worse for particulates, and it's worse for NOx
You can, but it's illegal. If you want to roll the dice with it, fine, but technically, you'd be messing with the factory installed emissions systems that came with the car, and this is a federal no-no. Admittedly, the chance of getting caught in a non-inspection state are small, but if you are you run the risk of the crusher. Is it worth it? Up to you. The economics of this don't really play out for the expected lifetime of the car, but have at it if you want to.
I actually smell so BS from the manufacturers on this one. One of the Bosche people claim that start-stop technology doesn't increase mileage on the EPA City/ Hwy driving tests (may be true), and that it's hard to get certified (this one I'm skeptical about, cause a lot of the current hybrids do the very same thing.) My GUESS is that they percieve that it's added cost to implement, raising the sales price, and since it won't change the sticker MPG (if true) many of the buying public won't appreciate the benenfits. Secondly, most of the buying public doesn't make car purchases based on cost of ownership, rather on purchase price. This is why there were so many people who were actually SURPRISED that it cost a lot to run thier low mileage vehicles when gas prices went up! The number of times I'd heard/read "If I'd known gas was going to get this expensive, I'd never have bought this (fill in the blank here). Fact is only a large act of willfull ignorance would let ANYONE think gas prices would stay cheap.

This I doubt. The current small diesel turbo really is at the lower power limit of what's acceptable in a car. Drop the turbo, or shrink the the displacement, doesn't really make sense in the Mini range. Too much cost to introduce for any possible increase in sales numbers. Since the factory is tapped out, I think wishes like this are just a dream till the R60 comes on line (80k more Minis) or a new factory is opened. Why spend the $ if all the cars sell already?
, once again, true only from CO2, not particulates or NOx.


There are lots that are skeptical of diesel. Many that are skeptical of start/stop (or any change to the automotive architecture as it is now). Many worry about the indirect harms of particulates. Many like the improvements to air quality since the introduction of the catalytic converer and computerized engine management, and don't want to see NOx emissions increase There are real R&D and upfront costs to both the manufacturer and the buyer that may or may not be offset over the lifetime of the car. With the factory running at capacity, I don't see a business case for investing the $ to make a change to a car that won't increase total sales at all! Add a new factory, and then the business case may exist, but for now, it sure isn't there, in any shape or form.

Matt

 

Sorry, but it sounds too difficult to be true. It would be another thing that bean counters could take advantage of and the end result is the average consumer would not understand what benefit he has to plugging in when, and most would not care anyway. I need to get off my soap box, really. I just don't see electric cars being the future for everyone. It will work for some, but not all. *rant off, promise last post on this electric topic from me.*

 

I'm currently writing an article on the hows and whys of electric cars, plug in hybrids and the like. What makes it hard right now is that gas is a great energy transport medium, but the effeciency of energy use is very craapy. Electricity (current batteries) is a poor energy transport medium, but effeciency of energy use is phenominal. That's why you get very good MPG equivalents with electric cars (up to 300 mpg depending on gas price and electricity price) but very poor range.

While I have my own doubts on the average buyer in the US (or anywhere else) I think pretty much can understand "75% discount if you charge at night" and it hits the average buyer in the short sighted self interest of immediate savings... Time of use metering is good for everyone. That way the free marketers get more realistic pricing models (as the effective cost of electricity is time dependant through the 24 hour cycle) and the greenies who want decreased peak use then give the buyer an economic incentive to reduce use during peak demand. It's actually a very good idea. For the average elecricity consumer, their bill wouldn't just say KWHs used at XX per KWH, but it would be binned into 4 or so time bins, much like lower cost cell useage for nights and weekends are now. There would still be one total at the bottom of the bill.

Anyway, I'm aiming to have the article in the next issue (not the one that's just mailing now, but the one after) in MC Squared, and maybe a longer, more complete version in some other publication.

 

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007...w_1series.html

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...16/040540.html

http://www.mpgomatic.com/2008/05/19/...-diesel-dream/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7soWJAHxuaY



I say, grab an original Mini, convert that to diesel. Isn't it after a car is 20 years old they don't test it for emissions and the like?

BMW 118d: Third generation common-rail diesel engine with aluminum crankcase achieves zero to 62mph in 8.9 seconds (9.0 seconds for five door) before going on to a top speed of 130mph. Output is 143hp (up 21 hp) while peak torque is 300Nm (up 20Nm). Combined fuel consumption is 60.1mpg (improves by 19 per cent) and CO2 emissions are 123g/km (down 18 per cent).


2008 BMW 120d. It's 1,995cc four-cylinder engine produces 177hp and a zero to 60 time of 7.6 seconds. This fuel efficient model gets and estimated 59 miles per gallon.


The next in the European 1 Series line is the 2008 BMW 123d Coupe. The 204hp four-cylinder engine in the BMW 123d Coupé sets a record for small diesels. Its 1,995cc engine is the world’s first all aluminum diesel to have an output per liter in excess of 100hp. It is also the first four-cylinder production diesel to come with twin-turbo technology. The BMW 123d will have an estimated fuel efficiency of 54 miles per gallon.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQQxY...eature=related