Diesel Efficiency
Whenever I think of diesel, I just naturally think - big stinky diesel truck. That is why I was really surprised when I read an interesting article on msn.com about green cars and how diesel is being considered a viable option as a fuel saver and is often offered at a lower cost than a hybrid.
Diesel fuel is getting cleaner and companies like Mercedes Benz tout their Bluetec diesel models as the cleanest diesels in the world. (In part as a response to the emissions standards in Europe are getting higher.)
Here is a segment of the article:
Popular in Europe, diesel models are limited in their availability in the U.S. because five states—California, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont—prohibit their sale due to emission restrictions. Note that in contrast, gas-electric hybrid vehicles are sold in all states. Indeed, hybrids are far cleaner in many emission properties than even conventional gasoline vehicles.
Still, diesels are known for getting extra mileage out of every gallon of fuel. They offer better torque than many gasoline engines. And their price differential over gasoline models generally is much smaller than that for hybrids.
For example, Mercedes-Benz’s midsize 2007 E320 diesel sedan has a starting MSRP of $51,550, which is only $1,000 more than the starting price for a 2007 E350 gasoline sedan.
Yet the 3.0-liter V6 in the E320 BLUETEC sedan, as the diesel version is called, puts out an amazing 388 lb-ft of torque starting as low as 1600 rpm and compares with the 258 lb-ft of torque starting at 2400 rpm in the 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine in the E350 sedan.
The diesel E-Class’s fuel economy rating is 26/35 mpg, for a combined 30 mpg, and compares with 19/26, for a combined 21 mpg, in the gasoline E350.
Thus, if drivers maximized the diesel’s fuel economy and got the 9 extra miles per gallon, it would take less three years to recoup the approximately $1,000 extra cost for the diesel engine in the E-Class if diesel prices were in the neighborhood of $2.40 a gallon.
Other Diesel Matters
Diesel engines are getting cleaner. Thanks to cleaner diesel fuel with lower sulfur content now available in the U.S. and new vehicle technology that filters or traps troubling engine particulate emissions, diesels are becoming cleaner than ever.
In fact, Mercedes touts its Bluetec as the “cleanest diesel in the world” and has joined with Audi, Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler Group to spread the Bluetec name across other diesel models in the coming years.
Some consumers, however, will object to having a diesel because these cars typically—though not always—are noisier than gasoline-powered vehicles. Some buyers also might object to the telltale odor that is associated with diesel vehicles.
And, not every urban filling station has a diesel pump. In some cases, drivers might need to venture farther from suburban neighborhoods to locate a place to fill up.
Nonetheless, diesel engines have been with us for a long time—the first diesel-powered passenger car was a 1936 Mercedes—and diesel engines are known for their durability. Hence, they’re standard fare under the hoods of big semi-trucks.
Gasoline Models Can Shine
Consumers don’t need to venture from conventional gasoline models to find fuel-thrifty vehicles. However, they need to focus on small, lightweight vehicles in order to maximize the gas they use.
For example, the 2007 Nissan Sentra with continuously variable transmission as well as the Kia Rio, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla all are gasoline-powered cars with higher combined fuel economy ratings than that of the 2007 E-Class diesel.
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