Cars & Trucks
Diesel Cars
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Diesel Engine : A brief history
Rudolf Diesel of Germany is credited with inventing an internal combustion engine with no spark plug.Instead in the Diesel engine the fuel is ignited due to the heat of the highly compressed air in the combustion chamber.
Diesel filed his patent in 1892. However he was apparently not the first one to concieve and implement this concept. Engines that operated on principle of compression-ignition already existed at the time. Source:Wikipedia.
This website eloquently explains how the diesel engine works with animation.
Diesel Engine vs Gasoline Engine
Diesel Engine is more efficient than a gasoline engine for the same power output. It consumes 30-40% less fuel than a comparable gasoline (petrol) engine. Its fuel efficiency can be further improved by adding a turbocharger. This makes it an attractive alternative to gasoline engines especially with higher gas prices and looming high mileage mandates. It is also a lot cheaper than the gas-electric hybrid engines.Diesel engines have other attractive features like lower emissions, higher starting torques and relatively flat torque curves. Also since there is no need for an ignition system its more robust than a gas engine (there is however a glow plug in the diesel engines to help with starting in cold temperatures). In addition since diesel engines uses lower volatile fuels it can be easily modified to use Vegetable oils (biodiesel).
Older Diesel engines used be noisy and had the tendency to produce more particulate matter (soot) because of incomplete combustion. The exhaust of the diesel engines contained higher percentages of nitrous and sulphur oxides.
Modern day diesel engines have largely overcome these shortcomings.
Diesel cars in the US
Diesel engines are predominant in the large engine category such as those used in trucks, buses, locomotives and marine applications. They are also popular for passenger cars around the world and constitutes roughly 50% of the cars on the road.In the US however, diesel cars are not yet prevalent. Part of the reason is the lingering misperception of diesel cars. The diesel cars also did not meet the stringent emission quality requirement in some big states such as california.
The new generation of diesel cars should be able meet this emission requirement. Helped by the introduction of ultra-low-sulphur diesel (clean diesel) in October 2006 and advances in emission control technology the newer diesel cars will be cleaner than ever before.
Currently the only sedan on the market is the Mercedes E320 Bluetec car (see picture). All other offerings are SUV's and are sold in only 42 states. However in 2009 Volkswagen will bring the diesel Jetta for sale in all fifty states.
For the complete list of diesel vehicles for sale in the US click here.
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