New Honda Gets 62 MPG. And It’s Not A Hybrid.
While the world has been heaping praise upon hybrid technology for its mileage-boosting properties, a forgotten and alienated alternative has quietly been evolving with even more impressive green numbers. I’m speaking of diesel engines, of course, which, up until a few years ago, were nary on the radar of American consumers. Early diesel engines in the U.S. were dirty, loud, and generally associated with some pretty terrible cars. Buried under environmental regulations and poor sales, they faded away to only a handful of brands.
Today, the diesel engine has roared back to life as a versatile, efficient, and green alternative to standard petrol cars. Automakers have taken notice, and diesel options for upcoming models are being included in roadmaps. Of particular interest, earlier this month Honda showed off an Accord that gets 62.8 miles per gallon with its diesel engine. This is right up there with the best current hybrids have to offer — but with even more power. Emissions ratings are about the same, but the diesel Accord picks up points by burning fuel even cleaner when run on biodiesel. Honda expects to release the diesel edition as part of its 2010 model lineup.
Expect additional diesel cars around 2010 from Audi, Saab, BMW, Mini Cooper, and hopefully, Hummer.
via CNET
Tags: alternative transportation, Automobiles, diesel, eco, emissions, green, hybrid, transportation
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:53 am
Ken the only problem I have with honda’s announcement is, Why is it going to take 3 years???? I’m ready to buy one now. The Low sulfer diesel mandate has been coming for years. Auto makers knew it. So why wait until AFTER the fuel arrives to start research? to make cars, …. to do anything at all??? What, they figured that the lobbiests and the liers . eeerrr I mean LAWYERS could stop the low sulfer mandate from happening???
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Kirana:
The refineries in which I have worked all start with crude oil (sweet, sour & other). It gets cleaned up by various processes to remove impurities. It is then sent to a cracker, which uses heat to split the crude molecules into other molecules with varying chain lengths, not just one chain length. Those molecules are then separated in distillation columns (you described the mechanism) and processed further. Some additional cracking may be required of some products, but not of others. As far as what comes directly out of the ground, I thought it was limited to crude, natural gas and condensate. I have never heard of usable diesel or petrol coming straight from the well. However, even though I have worked in several refineries, I have never worked in the oil fields. The oil field is a different animal and my knowledge of it is limited. -BB
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:57 am
I tell you, this sounds great. I have a ford escape hybrid and it is the worst car I have ever set my gluetal muscles in.
The seat is deteriorating, yes the foam… wierd, I know.
And it barely gets 22 miles per gallon.
Whatever you do, do not get a Ford Escape Hybrid.
It’s more of a pretty please than anything else.
Diesel is by far the way to go. It can be converted into bio, it gets better milage off the go… ect. Oh, and I had a call from customer service on it today… just to tell me there was nothing they could do about the foam, the mpg or the rust… that’s a whole other story.
Hybrid is just a marketing campagin for ford… honda and toyota have it right, but they have dignity I guess. Research, research, research… if you’re looking to buy, look to stay away from the high… brids that is.
Go desiel technology!
August 3rd, 2007 at 9:03 pm
In Europe, the market penetration of diesel engines in new registrations is above 60%+, especially in the mid size and luxury segments, where the premium (1000$) price the diesel option is easly masked.
If you have any chance to try one of these modern diesels you would understand why they are so popular in Europe.
For example, a 335d BMW gets around 37mpg with 272hp, 580Nm, 0-60 in 6+s and is very quiet (60db@70mph)
October 21st, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Dirty is the quality of the fuel, as well as how the engine burns it. Diesel fuel had (still has?) a lot of elements that will burn dirty, no matter the engine. Biodiesel plus regular diesel is one solution. Another is to change the refining of diesel to clean it up more.
It has always been a cleaner, more fuel efficient fuel.