A diesel Subaru is on its way...finally

[Guest]

I know the standard is different in my state, requiring special
refining, driving the cost up when it should be lower than galoline.

I don't see why properly refined diesel should be lower cost that
gasoline.
Modern diesel fuel is no longer left over fuel, that was also sold as
furnace fuel. Also it has about 15% more energy per unit.
Modern diesel should cost more than regular gasoline.

 

[Guest]

When I came to US. in 1987 (from Poland) I could not believe
diesel cost almost as much as gasoline. In Poland diesel was
about 40% cheaper than gasoline, and was not rationed like gas
was (these were the communist days of shortages of all sorts,
combined with Western sanctions on Polish government of
General Jaruzelski).

Years back diesel in NA was also much lower cost than gasoline.
Then diesel was a refinery waste the had to dispose of, mainly for
furnace fuel.

Increased use of diesel upped the price.

 

[Guest]

If we Americans would ever get over our stupid "bigger
is better" mentality, with the attendant horsepower (and fuel thirst!)
race, I'd think diesels still hold a lot of promise.

Yes many drive excessively large vehicles with excessive engine power.
Obviously many people have too much money.

 

[the one and only]

I like diesel's because you can use Biodiesel and its a renewable fuel.
I think we will never run out of dino juice, it will just get so
expensive it will be priced out of the market.
If I remember correctly the first diesel ran on peanut oil.

mitch

 

[Tom Reingold]

Years back diesel in NA was also much lower cost than gasoline.
Then diesel was a refinery waste the had to dispose of, mainly for
furnace fuel.

Increased use of diesel upped the price.

Clinton also tried to put on a fuel tax. When enough people objected, he
applied the new taxes only on diesel, since it would affect businesses
mostly and not consumers, at least not directly. Since then, diesel has
been about the same prices as regular gas.

 

[BrianW]

I've driven many diesels in Europe, and would love to see similar
engine choices offered here in the USA. For several years I've been
seeing news reports about how the "new-generation diesels are coming."
I'll believe it when I see it. A lot is predicated on better diesel
fuel being offered in the USA. And, it will require a good bit of
marketing/consumer education before the average US consumer buys into
it.

Personally, I think diesel engines are a much better choice than the
hybrids. But, of course, they aren't as "sexy."

Turbo diesel engines are pretty good performace-wise. I've rented large
station wagons (Opel Vectra, Ford Mondeo) in Europe with small TD
engines that feel just as powerful as my 03 OBW. Yes, I know it's
torque and not HP, but it still does the job.

 

[Jakey]

In a lot of European center city areas you can't breathe because of the high
concentration of diesel fumes. Diesel particulates accumulate in the lungs.
Removing the sulphur from the fuel will help some, but it's still a dirty
engine. The few car makers who do a good job with diesels use very expensive
catalysts. For large trucks particulate trapping equipment is being
developed.
Subaru wants you to think they are concerned about the environment and they
tout their low emission engines.
And to think, our kids ride in diesel stinking school buses that idle in
front of the bus loading areas.
At our offices we have the UPS and Purolater diesel trucks idling at our
doors while they deliver and pickup packages.

On the petroleum food chain, diesel is just a less refined fuel than
gasoline. The diesel engine has been around a long time and was a good idea
for days gone by. It's still okay for applications removed from population
concentrations i.e. ships, tugboats, military trucks, and long haul
locomotives. But choking our freeways, suburbia, and center cities with
large numbers of these vehicles is not really healthy. Imagine Manahattan
with all diesel taxicabs on a windless summer day!!

New Class 8 long haul diesel trucks will have to meet new emission
regulations to try to stem the soot. The problem is the enormous fleet of
older trucks that belch plumes of black sooty smoke as they take off from a
standstill.

We need to improve and refine our hybrid technology. You can get a lot of
instant torque from an electric motor. Feel a subway accelerate and realize
how much weight is being moved quickly. Honda is proving that electric motor
assist to the gasoline engine is one hot way to accelerate while minimizing
pollution!

 

[Victor Roberts]

In a lot of European center city areas you can't breathe because of the high
concentration of diesel fumes. Diesel particulates accumulate in the lungs.
Removing the sulphur from the fuel will help some, but it's still a dirty
engine. The few car makers who do a good job with diesels use very expensive
catalysts. For large trucks particulate trapping equipment is being
developed.
Subaru wants you to think they are concerned about the environment and they
tout their low emission engines.
And to think, our kids ride in diesel stinking school buses that idle in
front of the bus loading areas.
At our offices we have the UPS and Purolater diesel trucks idling at our
doors while they deliver and pickup packages.

On the petroleum food chain, diesel is just a less refined fuel than
gasoline. The diesel engine has been around a long time and was a good idea
for days gone by. It's still okay for applications removed from population
concentrations i.e. ships, tugboats, military trucks, and long haul
locomotives. But choking our freeways, suburbia, and center cities with
large numbers of these vehicles is not really healthy. Imagine Manahattan
with all diesel taxicabs on a windless summer day!!

New Class 8 long haul diesel trucks will have to meet new emission
regulations to try to stem the soot. The problem is the enormous fleet of
older trucks that belch plumes of black sooty smoke as they take off from a
standstill.

We need to improve and refine our hybrid technology. You can get a lot of
instant torque from an electric motor. Feel a subway accelerate and realize
how much weight is being moved quickly. Honda is proving that electric motor
assist to the gasoline engine is one hot way to accelerate while minimizing
pollution!

Your whole focus is on the acceleration of a hybrid. Hybrids
certainly get very good gas mileage in stop and go city
driving. However, for continuous highway driving, a
gas-powered hybrid is no better than a pure gas-powered car
with the same size gas engine as the hybrid and same
coefficient of drag. Under these conditions a diesel will
get much better mileage than a gas-powered hybrid.

 

[S.C.]

Your whole focus is on the acceleration of a hybrid. Hybrids
certainly get very good gas mileage in stop and go city
driving. However, for continuous highway driving, a
gas-powered hybrid is no better than a pure gas-powered car
with the same size gas engine as the hybrid and same
coefficient of drag. Under these conditions a diesel will
get much better mileage than a gas-powered hybrid.

That's only partially true.
All hybrid gas engine are based on Miller cycle, tha's more efficent
than Otto cycle but only with auxilium of electric engine can have
comparable performances

 

[Victor Roberts]

That's only partially true.
All hybrid gas engine are based on Miller cycle, tha's more efficent
than Otto cycle but only with auxilium of electric engine can have
comparable performances

I would be careful to say "all hybrids." Many of the newer
hybrids are hybrid in name only. They have the same size gas
engine as the non-hybrid version and very small electric
motors. They use the gas engine for all but stop and go city
driving. The main function of the electric motor seems to be
to raise the city mileage rating and allow the manufacturer
to call the car a hybrid.