05-22-2008, 11:25 AM
[quote Mike V]turbo diesel makes more sense than leccky.
There is also an argument that the best option would be a diesel hybrid. Diesels do very well when running at constant fairly low revs. In trains diesel electric traction is a well known technolgy afaik so the knowledge is there. It is also used in some domestic heating systems off grid - get hot water and electricity from the same device.
From what I have read, the main reason blocking the development is the lack of clean diesel in the USA. In countries where diesel is common (Europe) diesel has 6ppm sulphur of less. Apparently some US diesel had up to 200ppm in the recent past which is hard for modern diesel vehicles to handle. As the US is the major hydrid market a diesel hybrid won't happen until diesels in general are more common in the US.
I can"t remember where I read this stuff -- may have been the car review section of the la times years ago.
There is also an argument that the best option would be a diesel hybrid. Diesels do very well when running at constant fairly low revs. In trains diesel electric traction is a well known technolgy afaik so the knowledge is there. It is also used in some domestic heating systems off grid - get hot water and electricity from the same device.
From what I have read, the main reason blocking the development is the lack of clean diesel in the USA. In countries where diesel is common (Europe) diesel has 6ppm sulphur of less. Apparently some US diesel had up to 200ppm in the recent past which is hard for modern diesel vehicles to handle. As the US is the major hydrid market a diesel hybrid won't happen until diesels in general are more common in the US.
I can"t remember where I read this stuff -- may have been the car review section of the la times years ago.