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Thread: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

  1. #21

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob98SR5
    I've been researching the build of an electric car too. There's tons of websites out there. The cost of those motors are coming down too as I've heard as that is the main cost next to the donor vehicle. Oh if only I had a big garage! Some websites say you can do it for around $2200, but that's a pipe dream IMHO unless someone drops a pristine donor vehicle. There are some companies who have drop in kits, the most popular it seems is a Chebby S10---but who the F'k wants to drive an S10?!? :P
    a bit of history to show how long conversions have been around
    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  2. #22

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Chevy is going to be releasing the Cruze in diesel. Only expected to get about 35mpg though.
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/21/r...irmed-for-u-s/

  3. #23

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Ryan, haven't seen you online for ages, welcome back.

    As far as the difference in driving experience between a Prius and your TDI, I agree completely. I don't think hybrid technology is a fad, however. Since most of us drive less than 20-25 miles each way to work the concept of charging your car overnight and driving to work each day with zero emissions certainly has some strong advantages. Beyond reducing air quality impacts, reducing our dependence on oil and low-cost charging compared to buying fuel, the night-time charging helps reduce on-peak power demand and increase off-peak demand from the grid, which has all sorts of advantages you may not be interested in. If you have solar panels on your home you can reduce the cost of that drive to work even more.

    While diesel engines are getting much cleaner, they still pollute more than a gasser. Even the brand new Renault Megane and Fiat Puntos I drove in Europe belch out some black smoke on a hard shift or fast acceleration. That said, I am impressed with how far diesel technology has come. Because diesels are super efficient at a constant RPM, I would like to see a car like the Volt but with a constant-duty diesel running the generator rather than a gas engine. Now you are only running the dirtier diesel engine when your drive exceeds the 40-50 mile range of your battery.

  4. #24

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    I guess I've already embraced diesel.....

    After buying a Duramax diesel pickup, I can tell you diesel power is highly addictive. Can't say I get great MPG, but ironically I get about the same as I do in the 4runner (but with a 7,000 lb truck!) Just shows you how much more efficient the diesel is over gas motors and we're really just scratching the surface on the power available in the fuel so there's quite a bit of room for improvement as well.
    - Jamie<br /><br />1996 SR5 4Runner 4X4 Auto, Deckplate Mod,&nbsp; Hayden Tranny Cooler,&nbsp; Amsoil Air Filter, OME 881/906 N86C/N91SC Lift - SOLD, but still miss it!<br /><br />2005 Silverado 2500HD Duramax Diesel 4WD

  5. #25
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    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Quote Originally Posted by paddlenbike
    Since most of us drive less than 20-25 miles each way to work the concept of charging your car overnight and driving to work each day with zero emissions certainly has some strong advantages
    I have a big issue with this statement: where do you think that electricity comes from? most of this country is still powered by coal-fire power plants, which are some of the biggest contributors to air pollution that exist. Just because the pollution isnt coming directly from your vehicle, doesnt mean that you arent contributing to pollution.

    In areas like mine where the grid is entirely Nuclear and Natural Gas, i could see calling it "nearly" no emissions, but in most of the country, the amount of emissions probably isnt any better with an electric car.

    also the amount of emissions created in the plants that manufacture just the Li-Ion batteries (not even the entire car) pump more pollutants into the air than a normal gas-powered vehicle does in several years.
    - Kevin

    2018 Taco TRD Pro - 2.5" lift, 33" tires, everything else stock.
    2012 Triumph Tiger XC - Stock

  6. #26

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Quote Originally Posted by Crinale
    I have a big issue with this statement: where do you think that electricity comes from? most of this country is still powered by coal-fire power plants, which are some of the biggest contributors to air pollution that exist. Just because the pollution isnt coming directly from your vehicle, doesnt mean that you arent contributing to pollution.

    In areas like mine where the grid is entirely Nuclear and Natural Gas, i could see calling it "nearly" no emissions, but in most of the country, the amount of emissions probably isnt any better with an electric car.

    also the amount of emissions created in the plants that manufacture just the Li-Ion batteries (not even the entire car) pump more pollutants into the air than a normal gas-powered vehicle does in several years.
    I don't have any statistics in front of me, but a counter point to your position that electricity produced from burning coal is worse than displacing gas cars with electric vehicles could be made that one highly regulated, professional managed, power plant will be more efficient and produce less pollution than a bunch of poorly maintained cars. Why do you think large cites ban small engines on lawn mowers, leaf blowers, etc.

    I guess what I'm saying is by economy of scale, it is more efficient to have a multimillion dollar coal fired power generation system that powers a bunch of electric cars than to have the same number of gas burning cars on the road. Granted there are parasitic losses for power transmission, but I think it still comes out ahead.

    Erich
    -Erich
    99' Black Highlander 4runner / Garage Profile / Black P/C 8x16 Wheeler Off-Road alloy wheels / Husky floor liners / Thule MOAB Rack
    Alaskan Waterfowler Blog

  7. #27

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Another thing I'd like to mention is how different the landscape is for huge infrastructure projects like we're talking about here. If you look at the great leaps we've made with transportation in history we've never had to deal with a certain leviathan we have today. The Environmental Analysis requirement...

    When Eisenhower started the engineers on the interstate system they never needed to do anything but pick the most cost effective route.

    Today, you spend 25% or more of your budget just on permitting. Sometimes much more. There is a whole industry that I believe is filled with parasites who really don't want to see development and they bleed projects dry, and then come back with outlandish requirements to protect an unheard of critter that may or may not be impacted.

    A good example is a wind turbine project that was set to be built in the Oregon/Washington Gorge. There was a ground squirrel that lived on both sided of the Columbia River. On the Oregon side it was considered threatened, but not on the Washington side. Guess where they didn't build any wind turbines...

    If you have a process that is control by a demographic who typically doesn't support developmental, then it gets mighty expensive and they keep themselves in work.

    Erich
    -Erich
    99' Black Highlander 4runner / Garage Profile / Black P/C 8x16 Wheeler Off-Road alloy wheels / Husky floor liners / Thule MOAB Rack
    Alaskan Waterfowler Blog

  8. #28

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    I asked my friend at work about why they don't make a diesel hybrid and he says it's because of all the regulations here in america. That's what makes it cost prohibitive. Not very many companies make a small car diesel engine that has been approved by the government and those that do, don't make mass produced hybrids (yet).

    The auto industry is so regulated that it takes an act of god to get anything innovative approved. That's why the industry is so slow to change.

    Crinale, I've asked that same question to my professors back in college and they said it's much easier to centralize the pollutants to a few locations rather than spread it out to the millions of cars out on the road. This allows easier cleaning and better regulation of what is let out into the air. I'd like to read more about the Li-ion air pollution. Do you have a link?
    -------------------------
    Steve
    1993 4runner, SAS, 3.0L, Auto Tranny
    2007 4runner, stock. For now.

  9. #29

    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    my senior project here at cal poly has a 50/50 chance of being a full scale, electric car. goal is 100 mile range at 55mph.

    if that ends up being my project, it will be detailed on a blog as im working on it, as part of my project)
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  10. #30
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    Re: Why the US needs to embrace DIESEL

    Quote Originally Posted by Robinhood4x4
    I'd like to read more about the Li-ion air pollution. Do you have a link?
    i read that a couple years ago about the 3rd gen prius.. ill see if i can find it again..
    - Kevin

    2018 Taco TRD Pro - 2.5" lift, 33" tires, everything else stock.
    2012 Triumph Tiger XC - Stock

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