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My daily driver is a 2003 VW Jetta TDI diesel. It gets 43.6 mpg in the summer and 46.7 in the winter. That’s city mileage, highway is 48 to 52 mpg @ 75mph. No hybred can come close to that mileage at those speeds.
My daily driver is a 2003 VW Jetta TDI diesel. It gets 43.6 mpg in the summer and 46.7 in the winter. That’s city mileage, highway is 48 to 52 mpg @ 75mph. No hybred can come close to that mileage at those speeds.
I had NO IDEA diesel was doing so much better. I think I'll take a serious look at that once I'm in a position to get another car.
BTW, did you hear about the European airline that was going to go to kerosene?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian.Pearson
I had NO IDEA diesel was doing so much better. I think I'll take a serious look at that once I'm in a position to get another car.
I've been getting 50 mpg since 1976 in my VW diesels... no dinosaurs or OPEC required (or huge, hazardous, expendable batteries)
Biodiesel Appleseed Reactor Plans (http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/appleseedprocessor/ - broken link)
I've bought several Rabbits, Jettas and Golfs for under $100. (next time you need a car, get a CHEAP one !!) Some I get for free once folks know I fix them up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian.Pearson
BTW, did you hear about the European airline that was going to go to kerosene?
yes, Jet fuel is very close to Kerosene, (measured in cetane, rather than octane) which is basically diesel without lubrication additives (and is probably crazy high in sulfur...) Several of my friends who are jet mechanics have NEVER bought fuel for their diesel cars. They just use the JET A that has to be discarded from planes under repair, and they add a couple quarts of 2 cycle oil / drum of jet fuel to add lubricant so their fuel pumps don't seize., and cylinders get a little 'wash'.
Algae feedstock will be one to watch, algae ponds can clean coal fired plant emissions, and use the algae for Bio-D. No 'food for fuel fight' + Bio-D in USA is usually Soy based (a byproduct of making soy meal for cattle feed, not a threat to human food stocks). There are some promising Bio-d feedstocks in the form of nut trees and bushes being used in India, Africa, and parts of US (Texas) that are considered too arid for growing food.
Imperium Renewables
the largest bio-d producer in the USA has to get most of it's feedstock from international sources, so I guess it's only fair the majority of the good stuff... (Canola based) is sent to Europe because they pay more. In Europe the engine warranty covers 100% Bio-d (brasserie / canola based), while in US it is tough to get more than 5% BD warrantied. Our soy based Bio-D tends to 'crystalize' at lower temps and plug fuel filters. This would not be good in a jet...
Is is just a matter of octane or something? -- like not being as 'high test' as "real" jet fuel?
No, jet fuel IS kerosene....and a crappy grade of kerosene at that. You couldn't put it your space heater...they need "K-1" kerosene, the best (clear) type of coal oil (that's what they called kerosene years ago).
I think bacteria may be a big thing in the future for breaking down anything with cellulose to make fuel, either ethanol or hydrogen.
Also, there are ways of converting heat from exhaust and from engine blocks to electricity. And, there'll be a new capacitor that acts a lot like a battery, only it charges up a lot faster and lasts a very long time.
Last edited by Brian.Pearson; 06-08-2008 at 05:54 PM..
Reason: added material
I'm driving a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier. That's the size I like. They are doing something dumb by making them smaller, now, but that's another story.
If I get a diesel, after I'm done with the Cavalier, I'd like to have another one the same size. BTW, I read that Ford was not going to sell any diesel cars in the US due to the costs of getting the emissions to pass the tests. Might be some others, too. And part of the problem has to do with demand, since most people tend to want gasoline-fueled cars.
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