dieseldude’s Recent Comments

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  New Old Tech

  Good dialogue, but I have a little problem with the use of analogies. The ICE took over from the battery electric & steam engines of the early part of the last century not because of any oil/auto conspiracy -- they were cheaper, more reliable and delivered more of what consumers wanted. Turbos have been around for decades and are getting better all the time as enablers (all modern diesels are turbo and more & more gas engines). Electric motors have a longer history than ICEs and there are some exciting developments in them, but so far cost/energy storage issues are not on their side. The next few years are going to be an exciting time as all of these technologies develop further.
  MichaelOn Diesel technology has peaked posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

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  Peak Tech

  If you look at the past 10 years of common rail diesel tech, they are now three generations into the technology, each one a significant (at least double digit percentage improvement) move forward in three areas simultaneously -- fuel efficiency, emissions reduction and power delivery. Try that on any other automotive technology -- and the turbine engine analogy for the car has yet to show up (hint: it ain't electric motors/batteries because, while they're getting better they are struggling to make the kind of progress you're seeing not only in diesel but also gasoline ICE engines).
  Michael  On Diesel technology has peaked posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

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  Diesel Technology

  And don't get me started on "diesel technology has peaked." This has to have been written by someone who has read nothing about the advances of common rail diesel during the past decade (and ongoing). Whew. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.On Diesel technology has peaked posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

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  Jetta Performance

  First, this so-called "lay media puff piece" was a press release and should have been identified as such.

  That said, the facts are there for anyone willing to drive the vehicles discussed, selective or otherwise: Jetta delivers real world fuel economy comparable to the Prius with significantly better real world performance.

  Greenness has several different measures, but the CO2 reduction of a modern diesel cars (which meets the same tailpipe emissions standards as a gasoline version) is clear. We need to use every tool in the shed.

  Commercial aside: Note the Prius ad at the bottom of the page of this post. Who's paying the bills at Grist?On Diesel technology has peaked posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses