PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - "Why can't we have modern diesel cars here?"

rwthomas1 · #25 10-31-2004, 09:09 PM

I have no problem with clean air standards. I think they are valuable and have definitely cleaned up Kalifornia. The problem is that groups like CARB keep calling for ever tighter emissions restrictions. I believe that new vehicles are something like 98.7% clean. That means there is only 1.3% more improvement to be had. So when CARB calls for a further 50% reduction in emissions what they mean is the want cars that are 99.4% clean. This is the law of diminishing returns. Why not pursure the gross polluters? It is insane to require all automobilies to be super clean while allowing power plants, factories, trains, trucks etc. to continue to pollute at will. The next thing the should be chasing is the "low hanging fruit". This will have the greatest impact not another 0.7% decrease in auto emissions. Regarding the US automakers the reason diesels are being considered is the CAFE ratings. Since diesels are so much more efficient producing them would allow the big three to meet the future CAFE ratings with ease. I am not concerned about the apparent inability of the US automakers to produce viable small diesels. More to the point it would be much simpler for them to buy or build european or japanese diesel engines. If the diesel thing begins to grow for real then you will see this for sure. There is already a history of this. Ford put BMW diesels in some Lincolns (rare), GM put Isuzu diesels in the Luv pickup, Chevette and currently in their pickups. The Jeep Liberty and PT cruiser will have an MB diesels. Freightliner builds the Sprinter under license. Hybrid technology is limited to small econocars as the batteries required are both heavy and expensive. GM is supposed to be working on a hybrid pickup but I can't see this being particularly suited to the typical work truck environment. Fuel cells are a great idea but still a long way from practical. Right now the best thing that diesels have going for them is the rapidly increasing fuel prices. As long as gasoline continues to increase the diesel advantage will look better and better and demand will increase. RT