In these days of rapidly increasing gasoline prices, everybody is looking for a change, something different to, if not completely heal them of their oil addiction, at least start them in rehab. In my opinion, one of the best short-term solutions is the diesel engine.
Diesels gained great acclaim in the commercial business. Because of a diesel engine's very high compression ratio and turbo-charging, the torque numbers produced in these engines is unmatched by any normal gasoline engine. This great workhorse proved itself very useful hauling large loads or towing trailers. Unfortunately, the black soot that is produced by these engines put off the average consumer. Nobody wanted to deal with the terrible smell coming out the tailpipe. On top of that, that black soot turned every environmentalist against the diesel. The United State's more restrictive air control policies also limited the proliferation of diesels because until now, we did not have the technology to effectively reduce emissions.
But as gasoline prices have shot up, the general public has begun to come around. Europe, for example, has embraced wholeheartedly the concept of the diesel engine. In fact, today approximately 50% of cars sold to Europeans have diesel engines. As Europe's gas prices rose, the public began to admire the efficiency inherent in a diesel's design.
Now that gas prices have begun to creep up in the USA, people are looking everywhere for other transportation options. Finally, diesels have the chance to break out from their place in commercial business and become a mainstay on American highways. And automobile companies are trying to capitalize on this enthusiasm. Volkswagen, a company that has been selling diesels in the US for decades, is bringing new high technology diesels to their lots. These diesels inject a substance called urea that when injected into the exhaust, turned the excess harmful gases into ammonia that is generally harmless to the environment. BMW and Audi are beginning to follow suit, bringing efficient diesel engines to their normal model lines.
The best part for car enthusiasts is that you do not have to compromise performance for efficiency. That huge torque figure makes for fantastic back road driving. The immediate torque blow also means no need for shifting out of top gear while passing on the highway.
Granted, diesel engines do still rely on fossil fuels. And I'm not saying that diesels are the end-all solution. But the higher fuel economy numbers can help make what little oil we have left last as long as possible. If half of Europe can survive on diesel, I think we should at least give it a try.
Tags: Engine Alternative Fuels Diesel Turbo Diesel
