The University of Michigan study, Total Cost of Ownership: A Gas Versus Diesel Comparison, was conducted for Robert Bosch LLC and the results were released at the 2013 Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Washington D.C.
Highlights from the diesel-gasoline comparisons include:
Total Cost of Ownership: In the three-year timeframe comparison, diesel vehicles in the mass market, passenger car segment are estimated to save owners a significant amount of money with the VW Jetta owner saving $3,128, the VW Jetta Sportwagen owner saving $3,389, and the VW Golf owner saving an estimated $5,013.
In the luxury segment, all the diesel versions of the Mercedes-Benz E Class ($4,175), Mercedes-Benz GL Class ($13,514), Mercedes-Benz M Class ($3,063), Mercedes-Benz R Class ($5,951), and VW Touareg ($7,819) save owners money in the three-year timeframe.
Fuel Efficiency: All of the diesel vehicles had better miles per gallon than the gasoline versions with the diesels having between 8- to 44-percent higher miles per gallon.
Fuel Costs: All of the diesel vehicles had lower fuel costs than all the gas versions of comparable vehicles, with 11 of the 12 vehicles showing double-digit reductions in fuel costs, ranging from 10 to 29 percent.
Similar to the three-year comparisons, five year estimated fuel costs for diesel vehicles are less than those of comparable gas versions. The percentage difference in terms of the reduction from gas to diesel costs decreased for some diesel-gas comparisons as diesel prices began to increase around the 2005 timeframe.
Depreciation: Eleven of the 12 diesel vehicles held their value better than comparable gas vehicles over the three-year timeframe with eight vehicles showing double-digit percentage savings ranging from 17 percent up to 46 percent.
Nine of the 10 diesel vehicles hold their value better than comparable gas vehicles over the five-year timeframe, with five vehicles showing double digit percentage savings ranging from 10 percent up to 39 percent.
The report analyzed the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for clean diesel vehicles and comparing their TCO to their gas vehicle counterparts. The study developed three and five year cost estimates of depreciation by modeling used-vehicle auction data and fuel costs by modeling government data. The study also combined these estimates with three and five year estimates for repairs, fees and taxes, insurance, and maintenance from an outside data source.
]]>According to Allen Schaeffer, the executive director of DTF, some of the major findings of the new research include:
- California is the number one state today in overall diesel car and pickup truck registrations.
- From 2010-2012, California was the number one state with the fastest growth in registrations of new diesel cars and SUVs.
- California has the third highest registration (20 percent) of the new generation (2007 and later) clean diesel commercial trucks (Class 3-8).
2005‐2012 light-duty diesel engines have saved California consumers:
- 0.7 million tons of CO2.
- 110 million gallons of gasoline.
- 2.5 million barrels of crude oil.
Conservative estimates of fuel savings and CO2 reductions for 130,000 new light-duty diesel engines sold each year between 2013‐2020 will save California consumers an additional:
- 165 million to 240 million gallons of gasoline.
- 1.0 to 1.3 million tons of CO2.
In addition, according to ExxonMobil's 2013: The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040, not only will diesel surpass gasoline as the number one global transportation fuel by 2020, diesel demand will also account for 70 percent of the growth in demand for all transportation fuels through 2040. ExxonMobil also projects that natural gas will remain only a small share of the global transportation fuel mix, at 4 percent by 2040, up from today’s 1 percent.
]]>The new 2.0L EA228 engine is designed to provide "scalable" options for expected legislation such as Euro 6 as well as California's Lev III standards.. The engine will come with an after treatment system including Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and advanced Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology. Both DPF and SCR technologies are combined in one component saving space and costs.
The primary innovation of this new engine design is that the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and the water-cooled intercooler have both been integrated with the intake manifold. That change, combined with many others including new piston rings and a two-stage oil pump, will result in improved emissions and decreased friction within the motor itself.
Displacement will remain at 2.0-litres, but output will jump by 10 horsepower to 150. Torque will remain constant at 236 pound-feet. While it will first roll out in four models, Volkswagen says this new engine will ultimately appear in all VW and Audi products.
VW is the leader in diesel sales in the U.S. – representing about 78 percent of the diesel sales for passenger cars, according to officials. Robert Bosch, a global multibillion-dollar engineering and electronics automotive leader, anticipates more than 50 light-vehicle diesel models to be announced or released by 2017 in the U.S. market. “Clean diesels” are 30 percent more fuel-efficient, produce lower CO2 emissions and maintain a higher residual value compared to traditional gasoline engines.
So this improvement in efficiency will achieve 45mpg average city/hwy and over 55mpg highway by our calculations. If there is no change to the current fuel tank capacity, this new engine will provide a road trip single tank range of over 1,000 miles. If drivers are burning B20 in these new engines, that calculates out to about 55mppg average and 65mppg for highway driving. So why are people still buying gasoline powered vehicles? Join the U.S. Migration!
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A new diesel version of BMW's compact 3-Series will hit U.S. highways this year. BMW has offered a diesel engine in the 3-Series before with their 335d, but it was a 6-cylinder. The 328d offers a more efficient 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that BMW says should deliver an estimated 45 mpg highway and in the mid-30's combined.
The new engine puts out 180 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. It will have the same urea injection exhaust treatment as seen on other BMW diesels in order to meet U.S. emissions standards.
The 328d will be offered in both sedan and wagon body styles. Rear-wheel drive will be standard, with all-wheel drive offered as an option. The 328d wagon will be available only with all-wheel drive.
BMW's new 8-speed automatic will be the only transmission offered. It is more efficient than a manual and therefore the best fit for a car focused on maximizing fuel economy.
The 328d will have a "premium" over the 328i, which uses a turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Production will begin in July 2013, and sales are set to kick off in July or August.
The new BMW 328d looks like a win-win, offering better fuel economy, likely twice the longevity, lower maintenance and higher resale value than the gas-powered 328i, without sacrificing performance. The base price will be below $40K USD.
It's not an official government rating, but it's pretty impressive nonetheless: 78 miles per petroleum gallon (MPPG) in a Volkswagen Passat TDI diesel.
It was anointed a Guinness World Record, so it's more than your neighbor bragging about his eco-abilities.
The team of auto blogger Wayne Gerdes and electronics engineer Bob Winger ran up 8,122 miles, using 104.94 gallons of fuel, covering the 48 contiguous states in a Passat diesel built at VW's Chattanooga factory and delivered for the drive as it came off the line, VW says.
VW itself set the previous record for a Passat diesel, 67.9 mpg in 2009.
The U.S. government's official highway mileage rating for the Passat diesel is 43 mpg.
The Passat TDI drive began June 7 from VW's U.S. headquarters in Herndon, Va., and ended when the team returned there June 24.
"Obviously, we employ some specialized techniques to achieve such figures, but there's no reason why owners of TDI vehicles shouldn't be able to achieve great mileage," Gerdes says.
A key tactic: Anticipate conditions. "Look for impediments or topography 15 to 45 seconds ahead, rather than reacting to where you're currently driving," he says.
Equipment on the mileage run:
•Shell ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.
•Continental PureContact with EcoPlus Technology tires, which have low rolling resistance. Those aren't available as a factory option on Passat TDI, but are available from tire sellers and were approved by Guinness.
•Linear Logic ScanGauge II to precisely measure fuel economy
ETC has contacted the team of Wayne Gerdes and Bob Winger with the intention of setting a new record for MPPG from our biodiesel.
For a fifth-grade science fair, Evie Sobczak found that the acid in fruit could power clocks; she connected a cut-up orange to a clock with wire and watched it tick. In seventh grade, she generated power by engineering paddles that could harness wind. And in eighth grade, she started a project that eventually would become her passion: She wanted to grow algae and turn it into biofuel.
After four years of tinkering in her garage for about an hour each day, Sobczak (pronounced sob-chek) has finally figured it out. Her algae-to-fuel project won first place and best in category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, beating 1,600 other finalists from 70 countries. The Intel ISEF is one of the largest and most prestigious science fairs in the world.
"When I got there, I looked at all the projects and they were amazing, but I trusted that my project has a lot of capabilities to be used in the real world, so I thought I had a good chance of winning," said Sobczak, a rising senior at Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg.
The project's official title: Algae to Oil via Photoautotrophic Cultivation and Osmotic Sonication. In less dizzying terms, Sobczak cultivated, harvested and extracted algae oils and turned them into biofuel.
Biofuel is made by taking a mass — such as grass, sugarcane or corn — and converting it to fuel. The process leaves out harmful chemicals, like chloroform and hexane, which are used in making biodiesel and other types of fuel. Also, the use of algae biofuel reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
Some research shows that algae fuel could one day be a significant part of the nation's energy supply. But the cost of producing it remains high and scientists are working on ways to bring it down.
"All these Floridians think that algae is bad because it causes red tide, but it can be used as a positive to help our environment and our economy," Sobczak said.
Among a trove of awards and scholarships from the Intel ISEF, Sobczak was given the opportunity to visit NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, where workers control the Mars rover, for three days this month.
"(Sobczak) will get a behind-the-scenes experience of how JPL works: how we conceive and design missions, how we build and operate spacecraft, and then she'll meet scientists who will speak about how they use spacecraft to discover new science," said Larry Bergman, a program manager at the lab.
The world's attention has been on Mars because of the Curiosity rover landing and the Intel ISEF took that into consideration when selecting a prominent research lab to send a student to, Bergman said. In the past, students have gone to places like CERN, the nuclear research lab in Switzerland notable for having the world's largest particle accelerator.
"Going to the JPL is not something that everyone can experience, so I am very excited to be able to go," Sobczak said. "I can't wait to see them and talk to them about my project."
Also this summer, she will volunteer in the postpartum unit at St. Petersburg General Hospital and will be involved with a beach restoration project.
"She's motivated, she's driven, she's a grinder," said her mom, Lila Sobczak. "Until she finds the answer, she doesn't stop," she said.
Sobczak fell in love with science just by doing her schoolwork at Shorecrest. She says her teachers inspired her by getting her involved with science fairs early on.
"Evie has two things going for her," said David Hyink, her biology teacher. "She loves science and she has amazing enthusiasm for it. I think those are the two key ingredients to be able to do this."
Sobczak hopes to get into Columbia University or MIT to major in biochemical engineering. She's excited to work in a college lab where she can expand her algae project. Sobczak's dream job: working with other engineers to make algae a biofuel in the United States.
Between devoting countless hours to her algae project, keeping up with schoolwork and trying to hold on to her social life, Sobczak gets frazzled. But to that she simply says: "Stress means you're doing a lot of work, so it has to be a good thing."
We can't help but to notice that biodiesel from 2nd generation feedstock is the focus of the most respected engineering and scientific organizations on the planet.
]]>California, Massachusetts and New York are the fastest growing states for diesel car sales, while Texas, California and Florida have the most diesels on the road.
WASHINGTON – Clean diesel car registrations increased by 24.3% in the United States from 2010 through 2012, following similar trends of double-digit diesel car sale increases throughout the country, according to new data compiled for the Diesel Technology Forum.
The national registration information was compiled by R.L. Polk and Company and includes data for all types of passenger vehicles — cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and vans — in all 50 states and the District of Columbia from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012.
“This consistent growth in clean diesel registrations in the last three years is particularly noteworthy since it has occurred during an economic recession, the availability of an extremely large number of fuel efficient vehicles, which was topped off by some of the highest diesel fuel prices in U.S. history. Even in the face of these significant challenges, diesel buyers are seeing the big picture and long-term value by investing in record numbers of clean diesel cars and SUVs,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.
Diesel car and SUV registrations increased from 640,779 in 2010 to 796,794 at the end of 2012 — a 24.3% increase. During this same period, hybrid car and SUV registrations increased from 1,714,966 to 2,290,903 — a 33.6% increase. In contrast, the total car and SUV registrations in the U.S. increased by just 2.8% during the same period.
“When all passenger vehicle registrations are included — cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and vans — the diesels currently account for 6,658,399 vehicles while hybrids account for 2,295,500 vehicles throughout the U.S,” Schaeffer said, noting that there currently are 27 diesels available in the U.S. market compared to 46 hybrids.
“While total diesel vehicle registrations are slightly less than 3% in the U.S., auto analysts and market researchers virtually all agree diesel sales are going to increase significantly as the number of new diesels made in available domestically will more than double in the next two years,” Schaeffer said. Some analysts predict diesel sales will reach 75% of new car sales and 50% of the U.S. market by 2020.
“In addition, clean diesel vehicle sales are also projected to increase as the U.S. moves toward increasing fuel efficiency standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025,” Schaeffer said. “Because clean diesels are 20% to 40% more efficient than gasoline engines, diesel cars and trucks will play a major role in achieving these new standards. And an interesting wild card will be the emerging market domestically and internationally of clean diesel hybrid vehicles that will achieve astounding mpg numbers.”
NBC News explains why her super-oily algae have an advantage in the push to make commercially viable algae-based biofuels:
Other researchers have approached the problem by tweaking the algae genome or selecting the prime environmental conditions for algae growth. Volz’s approach, she said, is different and lower cost. It relies on an herbicide that kills algae cells with low levels of an enzyme crucial to making oil.
“The idea is, if you introduce this chemical, you kill everything with really low oil production,” she explained. “What you are left with is a population of cells with very high oil production.”
We salute anyone who decides to live with tubes of algae under their bed in service of the greater good. (And Volz is so hardcore, she’s also decided to sleep on the same light cycle as her little green charges.) But we also salute Volz for being an all-around awesome geek: She’s field captain of her high school’s Science Olympiad Team and captain of the Science Bowl team. Also, she likes improv and musical theater. She’s going to MIT next year, and, other incoming MIT freshmen, if we were you, we would totally request her as a roommate.
Very interesting to note that one of the most successful and most respected Research Funds in the world awarded their top prize to a project that demonstrates micro algae to biodiesel. If only the rest of our population were as aware of the opportunity, our nation's economic issues, dependency on foreign petroleum (including Canada), high emissions from gasoline powered cars and even the high emissions and insane mineral requirments from EV's and hybrids, ..., would fade away in about 5-6 years.
The large scale production of biodiesel sourced from 2nd generation feedstock is the only scalable, economically viable, environmentally friendly and truly sustainable replacement for petroleum we have today. U.S. citizens have wasted over $2T by purchasing hundreds of billions of lower energy density gallons of gasoline and burning that fuel in lower efficiency gasoline engines over just the past 10 years. There is a direct 1-to-1 relationship today between the strength of a nation's economy and the percentage of that nation's light fleet that runs on diesel fuel with biodiesel mandates.
Join the Migration.. http://etcgreen.com
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Earlier this month the Obama Administration showed strong support for the biodiesel industry when it finalized a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume increase for biodiesel. The EPA’s decision finalized the 2013 volume requirement under the RFS for biomass-based diesel to 1.28 billion gallons.
This represents a modest increase from the industry's record production in 2011 of nearly 1.1 billion gallons and puts the industry on course for steady, sustainable growth in the coming years.
"This was an incredibly important decision, and the Obama Administration got it right," said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. "It will allow biodiesel plants across the country to invest and expand, creating thousands of jobs. At the same time, it sends a strong signal that the U.S. is standing firm behind its commitment to producing clean, American-made energy to strengthen our energy security and break our dependence on petroleum."
The EPA is responsible for developing and implementing regulations to ensure that transportation fuel sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel. The RFS program regulations were developed in collaboration with refiners, renewable fuel producers, and many other stakeholders.
"This decision will continue to diversify our fuel supplies so that we're not so vulnerable to global petroleum markets and this endless cycle of price spikes,” said Jobe. “The Renewable Fuel Standard is clearly working to do that, and the benefits of doing so are clear: We'll continue to create good jobs, expand our economy and reduce harmful emissions. It's just smart energy policy."
]]>Japanese auto giant Honda Motor Co Ltd is set to introduce its first diesel vehicle in India — an entry-level sedan based on the Brio platform — in the next financial year. The move comes at a time when Honda is battling slowing sales of its petrol vehicle.
The move is significant as its Indian subsidiary, Honda Cars India Ltd, is battling slowing sales as its portfolio of petrol vehicles is becoming less attractive in a market which is increasingly preferring diesel-powered vehicles.
The company is likely to invest close to Rs 3,200 crore to commence assemblying diesel engines and introduce diesel variants in a bid to fast ramp up its operations in the country.
The new diesel engine will be sequentially adopted to new models the company has scheduled for introduction in the market starting 2013-14. “The new diesel engine will be assembled at our second unit in Rajasthan. It will be fitted on the entry-level sedan slated for launch next year and on new models thereafter. It will not be adopted on to the existing products in our portfolio,” said Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president, sales and marketing, Honda Cars India.
Outlining the company’s plans till 2017, Takanobu Ito, global chief executive officer of Honda Motor, said in Tokyo today: “In India, an all-new diesel engine will be adopted sequentially to new models, starting in FY2014. In addition to the high fuel efficiency, the cost competitiveness of the all-new diesel engine will be enhanced through local sourcing and local production to make new diesel models more affordable for customers.” Overall, Honda Motor aims at doubling sales in emerging markets, including India and China, to 3 million units by 2017.
To bring in the numbers, Honda Motor is set to introduce the all new Fit (Jazz) in 2013. Over the next two years, the new City and small sports utility vehicles based on the Fit platform would be launched. “In Asia, in order to compete in and win in highly-competitive low-price markets and fulfill the diverse needs of customers, in addition to the all-new Fit Series, Honda will add sedan-type and utility-type models utilising the platform of the Brio, Honda’s strategic model for Asia,” added Ito.
Some of these products will find their way into the Indian market over the next five years. While the entry-level sedan would hit Indian markets next year, a timeline has not been determined for the introduction of the utility vehicles, Sen informed.
Honda Cars India has seen market share dip over the decade due to increased competition from global players. The company’s lack of diesel engines has added to its woes in the domestic market. Diesel is 31 per cent cheaper than petrol in the country, which has made an increasing number of consumers opt for diesel vehicles.
According to industry estimates, in the first five months of this financial year, sales of diesel vehicles soared 54 per cent to account for 57 per cent of the passenger vehicle industry in India, while off-take of most petrol-driven variants dropped by over 20 per cent. In this period, Honda Cars India’s sales have grown 54 per cent to 29,932 units though the growth has come on a low base. Honda’s operations were severely disrupted for a major part of the last financial year due to an earthquake in Japan and floods in Thailand.
In August, Honda Cars India’s sales dropped 20.80 per cent to 5,470 units.
In today’s action EPA is establishing an applicable volume of 1.28 bill gallons for biomass-based diesel (BBD) for 2013. EPA is setting this volume based on consideration of the factors specified in the statute, including a consideration of biodiesel production, consumption, and infrastructure issues. As required under the statute, EPA also assessed the likely impact of BBD production and use in a variety of areas.
Under the Clean Air Act Section 211(o), as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, EPA is required to determine and promulgate the applicable volume of BBD that will be required in 2013 and beyond, as the statute specifies a minimum volume for the BBD category (of 1 billion gallons) for years after 2012. EPA proposed a volume requirement for 2013 of 1.28 billion gallons on July 1, 2011. EPA is able to take final action now after sufficiently evaluating the many comments on the proposal, as well as gathering additional information to enhance our analysis.
- Final Rule (PDF) (65 pp, 808K, signed September 14, 2012)
EV's and Hybrids are not our Future
BMW diesel lovers still have options in the 2013 U.S. market lineup with the X5 35d (EPA 19/36MPG) and the new 3-series sports wagon is expected to get a diesel version as well. There are also some rumblings about a 7-series diesel coming to the U.S. market so BMW might one day actually compete with Daimler and Audi per their full-line fleet offerings in the U.S. Market.
The 2013 328i offers similar EPA emission and mpg results as the outgoing 2012 335d suggesting that BMW dropped the "d" version because their diesel engine tech had slipped in relation to their economical petrol-sipping variety. Then again, the new BMW 328i comes with a small turbocharged and direct-injected 240-bhp 2.0-liter N20 inline-4. BMW calls this engine TwinPower not because of twin turbocharging, but because of the combination of its double VANOS variable camshaft timing and Valvetronic variable valve timing with a twin-scroll single turbocharger fed by two separate exhaust banks. The result is a healthy bump of 10 bhp and 60 ft.-lb. of torque compared to the previous 328i equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-6 engine. In fact, BMW tells us the N20 delivers its 260 ft.-lb. of peak torque at 1250 rpm, helping the new 3 Series sprint to 60 mph in 5.7 sec (with the 6-speed manual transmission), or 5.9 sec (8-speed automatic).
One significant concern this engine presents is a short life-cycle. Gasoline powered engine blocks with high temp turbo chargers rarely pass the 120,000 mile mark without major engine repair. Anyone who understands the advantages of diesel over gasoline powered vehicles knows the life cycle of a diesel is x2 that of the comparable gasoline car. This results in a lower environmental impact by almost 50%. It also reduces the life cycle cost per mile by nearly 50%. For the penny & pound wise, diesel vehicles have a considerably higher resale value than gasoline vehicles with the same mileage. Most importantly, it helps position the U.S. light fleet to take advantage of the U.S. Migration where biodiesel blends can extend the remaining petroleum supply for decades to come.
From the performance perspective, speed limits on U.S. roads can be achieved by even the lowest-end economy cars. The sensation of torque is the factor that really matters to the serious driver so we are confused as to why so many people continued to purchase the 2012 335i that produces only 300 lbs/ft of torque while the 2012 335d produces 425 lbs/ft of torque. Then again, BMW drivers have a reputation for a very short list of motivations so environmental impact, economy, longevity, national economics and energy independence are probably not considered by most. There was a time when a BMW gasoline powered vehicle was actually a desirable possession not unlike the gas guzzling Detroit muscle cars of the '60's and '70's.
The EPA does not measure mpg for diesel engines in MPPG (Miles Per Petroleum Gallon). So it appears that BMW may have made a hasty decision in that there are 7 U.S. states that have biodiesel mandates on the books today and the Federal EPA just recently submitted new legislation to make a biodiesel blend a national mandate. Biodiesel can be produced at $2/gallon today, next year, 5, 10, 20, 40, ... years from now and biodiesel can be blended with petrodiesel at any percentage. Compare this to the rapidly rising price of petroleum - from the recent $2.30 gallon at the pumps to the current $4 and the projected $7 gallon at U.S. pumps within a few years and the public will make the right decision to Join the U.S. Migration. Here is where we are today - this is not sustainable... (total cost of fuel at the pump in red with government taxes per gallon in blue)
The U.S. Migration plan will ease the economic pain significantly and almost immediately and will provide the infrastructure that will support and utilize the large scale production of biodiesel sourced from 2nd generation feedstock. This is the only scalable, economically viable, environmentally friendly and truly sustainable replacement for petroleum we have today. U.S. citizens have wasted over $2T by purchasing hundreds of billions of lower energy density gallons of gasoline and burning that fuel in lower efficiency gasoline engines over just the past 10 years. There is a direct 1-to-1 relationship today between the strength of a nation's economy and the percentage of that nation's light fleet that runs on diesel fuel with biodiesel mandates.
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TAKING THE INITIATIVE: Carl Pope's Blog
Tampa, Florida August 24, 2012 |
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Shell's chief executive told The Financial Times the company expects natural gas prices in the U.S., which are near 10-year lows, to double by 2015.
In an interview, chief executive Peter Voser said Shell is using a price of $4 to $6 per million Btu for 2014-2015, up from the current $2.55.
The price increase will be driven by increased demand, "as coal is replaced by gas in electricity generation, and natural gas in transportation takes off."
Shell is also looking into turning U.S. natural gas into diesel. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Shell is considering building a plant in Louisiana similar to an existing gas-to-liquids facility in Qatar.
At $6 is NG still a bargain for transportation fuels? In a word, no. About the time the NG market hits $8 and above, there will be a significant amount of remorse from all those fleet managers for ever considering CNG conversions. CNG requires high maintenance compressors, a multi-$Trillion distribution system, serious environmental impact for extraction (fracking) and is not only the most volatile (unstable and explosive) transportation fuel, but also has the most volatile price history of any energy source over the past 10 years. CNG is a fossil fuel with a finite volume available. It has little future for achieving large scale production status for transportation. [2010 - $75 petroleum barrel equiv.; 2008 - $340 barrel equiv.; 2006 - $225 barrel equiv.]
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Chrysler is making history. Their 2013 Ram 1500 has been spied with a diesel engine. Chrysler executives have hinted at such a product for years. In fact, Chrysler once had a contract in place with Cummins – the same diesel engine manufacturer that builds the 6.7-liter turbo-diesel I-6 found in Ram HD models – to develop a diesel V-8 for light-duty applications. That contract was voided during Chrysler’s bankruptcy, though Cummins has continued to develop small diesel engines, including some in partnership with the Department of Energy.
Chrysler didn’t exactly pick up the contract again after its restructuring, but it didn’t abandon the idea of a light-duty diesel pickup, either. According to Allpar, the truck here boasts a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel DOHC V-6 sourced from Fiat subsidiary VM Motori SpA.
If that engine sounds familiar, it should: it’s the same diesel engine offered in the European-spec Jeep Grand Cherokee, and will be offered in North American Grand Cherokees for the 2013 model year.
The engine is more than up to the task of hauling the Ram around town. In Grand Cherokee guise, the engine produces 237 hp at 4000 rpm, and a stout 405 lb-ft of torque at 1800 rpm. According to VM’s spec chart for the A630 engine, that’s about as much torque as the DOHC V-6 can crank out, but its maximum power can be increased by roughly 10 hp. Compared to the 2013 Ram 1500’s new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, the VM V-6 is shy about 40 hp, but offers nearly double the torque – something pickup owners could appreciate when hauling cargo or towing heavy trailers.
So, does this sighting mean a diesel Ram1500 will roll into dealer showrooms this year? Perhaps not. Allpar claims these trucks are very early prototypes, built mostly to evaluate packaging, tuning, and thermal issues before development progresses any further. These trucks were also allegedly hand-built in an engineering facility, and not actually produced on the Ram’s production assembly line. Still, we can’t help but think this makes for an interesting proposition: pickup buyers are already more open to the idea of a diesel powerplant, and if Jeep’s already working to make the engine 50-state compliant for the Grand Cherokee, the cost of federalizing the engine has already been amortized. Both factors seem like positive steps towards building a solid business case for a diesel option.
Chrysler will flourish with this move. Sad that the American buyers did not understand the opportunity when Daimler was at the wheel - they pushed for the U.S. Migration to diesel that had already dominated European auto sales for years. Daimler installed diesel engines into a long list of Chrysler products from 2005-2008, but they simply did not sell - the vast majority of the American people did not understand the advantages of diesel (though there were a few who did). One of the results of that European Migration is stronger economies. Seriously, there is a direct relationship between nations that run a 50% or better diesel light fleet and their economic strengths. Daimler took the risk with Chrysler to enable this Migration and had they been successful, the U.S. economy would have been less impacted by the Recession.
Update: 2013-09-12
Officially dubbed EcoDiesel, the RAM's new engine will be a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. The automaker says it will be mated to the same 8-speed automatic that powers today's RAM 1500 pickup. Ram has released the specs for tow at 9,200lbs.
The RAM will share its new diesel engine with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is also adding diesel power for the new model year. In the Grand Cherokee, the V6 will make 240 horsepower and a muscular 420 lb-ft of torque. Chrysler says diesel-equipped Grand Cherokee models will get up to 30 mpg on the highway.
From inside information, this historic 1500 Ram diesel will be available by October 1st 2013.
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The 2.2-liter Sky-D (other sizes are likely to follow) meets Euro 6 and U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards without using any NOx aftertreatment such as urea injection. Now that the vehicle passed, Mazda may offer this 2014 model vehicle during the 2013 calendar year.
This diesel engine is impressive. Mazda decreased the compression ratio from 16.3:1 down to 14:1 in this diesel engine. Doing so reduces cylinder pressures, and therefore temperatures, which reduces NOx production and also allows the fuel to mix better, avoiding locally rich areas that produce soot. Mazda claims that the lower friction from the reduced cylinder pressure alone is worth a 4- to 5-percent gain in fuel economy. This reduced internal forces also allow components such as the rods and pistons to be substantially lighter. Here, too, a forged steel crankshaft replaces a cast-iron unit.
The downside to lowering the compression ratio of a diesel is that, during warm-up, the engine temperature can be too low to support proper combustion, and misfires result. To get around this, Mazda added a two-stage variable valve-lift system on the exhaust side in order to be able to create additional valve overlap. This causes the hot exhaust gases to be drawn back into the next cylinder to warm it up. Ingenious.
While the performance tests are yet to be completed, the engineers are comfortable with a projection in the low 40's for mpg for combined city/hwy. This is competitive with VW's offerings and would support right at 50mppg avg running B20. To the Mazda Executives, "Build it and they will come".
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A diesel-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is set to arrive for 2013, will supplement the SUV’s current 3.6-liter V-6, 5.7-liter V-8, and 6.4-liter V-8 engine offerings. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne had previously revealed that a Jeep diesel would debut by 2013 in an interview in October. The engine is expected to be the same 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 offered in Europe, which produces 237 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. It should be significantly more fuel efficient than the Grand Cherokee’s gasoline engines; in Europe, the diesel Jeep is rated at the equivalent of 28 combined mpg.
The company also will add 1100 jobs at the Jefferson North plant, which currently employs about 2890 people and builds the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. Adding more workers and a third shift will increase capacity for building these vehicles — including the aforementioned diesel Jeep.
“We believe that investing in Detroit is not only the right thing to do, but it is a smart thing to do as we work to write the next chapter in our shared history,” Marchionne said in a prepared statement.
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NEW YORK - The Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY was declared the 2012 World Green Car of the Year at a press conference hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and the New York International Auto Show.
The Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY was chosen from an initial entry list of 23 new vehicles from all over the world. In 2007, the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec technology was also named a World Green Car winner.
To be eligible for the 2012 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production, and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning Jan. 1, 2011 and ending May 30, 2012. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.
Three green experts were appointed by the World Car Awards Steering Committee to extensively review all documentation and specs associated with each vehicle candidate. They were asked to create a short-list of finalists for review by the 64 jurors in their second round of voting in February. Their ballots were then tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG, according to the World Car Awards.
According to the experts, “This is the first 4-cylinder S-Class in the 60-year history of the legendary model. Powered by a 204 hp diesel turbo producing 500Nm, this S-Class develops ample power from the world’s cleanest diesel, while the incorporation of a start-stop system means that this car produces an outstanding 149g/km of CO2.”
The World Car Awards is a program initiated by, organized by, and conducted by automotive journalists from all over the world. For more information, visit www.wcoty.com.
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National Biodiesel Board member CIMA Green partnered with Paul Sr. and Orange County Choppers to craft a high performance diesel motorcycle ready to run on biodiesel. The motorcycle will be featured on two episodes of the hit Discovery Channel show American Chopper on March 19th and April 9th.
The bike is scheduled for several stops from coast to coast to promote biodiesel.
• March 22-24, Mid-America Trucking Show – Louisville, KY
• May 1-3, Atlantic Region Energy Expo – Atlantic City, NJ
• May 14-17, ACT Expo – Long Beach, CA
• August 28 – September 3, Farm Progress Show – Boone, IA
• October 2-3, Green Fleet Conference – Schaumburg, IL
At over 100mpbg, this is likely one of the Greenest motorcycles on the planet.
World Biofuels Congress has over 1500 participants already signed up, a full to bursting exhibition floor and over 240 global experts from across the biofuels value chain due to present, discuss and debate from the Congress platforms.
The Biofuels Aviation session is attracting attendance from the air transport sector with British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Swiss Air International, Virgin Air, NetJets just some of the airlines who are seriously looking at biofuels as a solution to both greening the skies and lowering their fuel bills.
The biobased chemicals and biopower colocated conferences are also attracting lots of interest this year with delegates looking at these lucrative additional markets.
To book some of the final places at the Congress, see the website or phone +44 20 7099 0600 and speak to Samantha Coleman. worldbiofuelsmarkets.com
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