Things Just Got Even Worse For VW

[BobbyG2]

The benefits are somewhat lower CO2 at the expense much higher NOx pollution versus petrol/gasoline (delete according to which side of the Atlantic you live), not worth the trade off IMO.

Diesel is also more fuel efficient and powerful per cubic inch than gasoline. That's why trucks/busses are almost exclusively diesel. Diesel is also non explosive when not compressed, and less likely to light, making it less dangerous during accidents. Diesel engines also require less maintenance and typically last longer than gasoline engines. Another benefit is that diesel engines can more easily be more easily modified or designed to run off of plant oils, a renewable source of fuel, instead of using our finite supply of fossil fuels.

Literally the only real drawback to diesel over gasoline is the higher NOx output. All other drawbacks can be worked around (such as an engine block heater for cold weather)

Diesel gets a bad rep mostly due to the majority of diesel vehicles being in larger vehicles (due to fuel economy and power/cu.in.) giving them the appearance that they're not as economical because some people don't realize an 80,000lbs vehicle needs more power and fuel to move than an 2,000lbs Corolla...

[HalGameGuru]

It's not CFCs, as you said, its NOx emissions and SOx's. 

 

As for straight soy/sunflower/peanut oils, I'm sure its possible but I don't think they are nearly as volatile as refined oil. Maybe they can be refined, but even then it would really difficult to produce enough oils from those plants to match the large scale production of petroleum products.

Original Diesel engine was capable of and made to run on straight mineral or "natural" oil. peanut oil, Rapeseed, hempseed, etc.

[danomicar]

Original Diesel engine was capable of and made to run on straight mineral or "natural" oil. peanut oil, Rapeseed, hempseed, etc.

Original Diesel engine was also only capable of less than 10horsepower and also not designed for automobiles. Those oils are very explosive when burned. They burn like a grease fire which isn't particularly violent

[HalGameGuru]

Original Diesel engine was also only capable of less than 10horsepower and also not designed for automobiles. Those oils are very explosive when burned. They burn like a grease fire which isn't particularly violent

The original diesel engine was a single MASSIVE cylinder with a flywheel.

 

Horsepower numbers are useless in general and even more so with diesels. It's ALL about torque with diesel engines.

 

They are cleaner, renewable, and easily sourced. IF their only inferiority is not being as combustible as diesel I still consider it a win-win.

 

EDIT:

[patrick3027]

They are basically the Lenovo of cars.

[Prysin]

Yeah I knew when the initial news about the VW scandal hit the headlines the company was finished, just the fines alone will bankrupt them.

yup... it was obvious from the get go.

 

[patrick3027]

Diesel is also more fuel efficient and powerful per cubic inch than gasoline. That's why trucks/busses are almost exclusively diesel. Diesel is also non explosive when not compressed, and less likely to light, making it less dangerous during accidents. Diesel engines also require less maintenance and typically last longer than gasoline engines. Another benefit is that diesel engines can more easily be more easily modified or designed to run off of plant oils, a renewable source of fuel, instead of using our finite supply of fossil fuels.

Literally the only real drawback to diesel over gasoline is the higher NOx output. All other drawbacks can be worked around (such as an engine block heater for cold weather)

Diesel gets a bad rep mostly due to the majority of diesel vehicles being in larger vehicles (due to fuel economy and power/cu.in.) giving them the appearance that they're not as economical because some people don't realize an 80,000lbs vehicle needs more power and fuel to move than an 2,000lbs Corolla...

The problem is that a lot of city people in Europe buy diesels while it's well known diesel engines are not efficient when they're still cold and are only well suited for long distances.

[Guest Generallee]

Its a joke, deal with it.

 

your joke sucks