Ford's 65MPG Due In November, But Not In the US 1103
computermesh writes "Ford has a vehicle that gets 65MPG and will not be released in the US. Why? Because they can not afford to! 'Ford's 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic goes on sale in November. But here's the catch: Despite the car's potential to transform Ford's image and help it compete with Toyota Motor (TM) and Honda Motor (HMC) in its home market, the company will sell the little fuel sipper only in Europe. "We know it's an awesome vehicle," says Ford America President Mark Fields. "But there are business reasons why we can't sell it in the U.S." The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel.'"
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
But California's under the mistaken belief that NOx emissions are the source of their smog problems, except in a VOC rich environment (basically any environment with a heavy percentage of gasoline cars,) smog is [b]reduced[/b] but NOx emissions, especially those from diesels.
But, they don't seem to quite get that, and public perception is that diesels are dirty, so...
That's your excuse?? (Score:5, Informative)
Down here in the south about half of the F-250's are diesel powered. The only difference is they only get 18 mpg.
"Astonishing"? Only in the USA (Score:3, Informative)
Yer Right (Score:3, Informative)
Yep the MINI Cooper Diesel is rated at 72mpg and from the forum posts I've read gets between 56 and 60 mpg. Keep in mind that this Ford will get less than the factory rated 65mpg. Yes, astonishing for the US but not so for Europe. Europeans have far more options on the fuel efficient spectrum that Americans do.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
They have fixed the problem by creating affordable and effective catalytic converts for diesel.
Check out VW's new TDI they just released for the US. Way more low end torque than gasoline and almost 50 mpg. I have no idea why the US hasn't fallen in love with diesel yet.
65 MPG? (Score:3, Informative)
That's ok, but pretty much the norm these days for a small diesel car. The Ibiza Ecomotive does 74 mpg.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
I have no idea why the US hasn't fallen in love with diesel yet.
Well, I have. I just bought one of the Jetta TDI wagons and it's amazing. I can get 50 MPG in mixed city/highway driving plus intermittent AC with some mild hypermiling techniques (fixed consumption hill climb, engine braking, anticipating traffic ahead; no pulse/glide or unpowered driving) and I expect that the fuel consumption will go down measurably as the engine breaks in (peak compression increases by 20% over the break-in of a VW TDI engine). All this in a car that's big enough to fit five people plus cargo.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
This shouldn't matter since clean diesel was implemented nationwide in the U.S. in 2007. It requires both the fuel and the car to abide by the clean diesel standards set forth, and is about 90+% cleaner than old diesel:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-clean-diesel-fuel-works.htm [howstuffworks.com]
Chuck
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:4, Informative)
Quick summary (Score:5, Informative)
If you can't be bothered to RTFA, please read this.
Ford makes the engines in Britain. The British pound is high compared to the dollar, so the cars would cost more than a Prius; their best case is that a diesel tax credit might make the car cost only slightly more than a Prius. Their market research indicates that Americans prefer a hybrid gasoline car (such as a Prius) to a diesel, so they don't think the car would sell at the price they would have to charge. It doesn't help that diesel is taxed more than gasoline and thus costs $0.40 to $1.00 more per gallon. Ford could reduce the cost if they start building the diesel engines in Mexico, but they will lose money unless they can sell at least 350,000 diesel engines per year; given their bleak financials they are reluctant to take that risk right now.
Note that VW is selling Jettas with diesel engines, and several other auto makers are introducing diesel models. If American consumers go for these new diesels, Ford may reconsider their decision.
steveha
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:4, Informative)
Clean diesel fuel just means it's possible to put a $2000 particulate filter and another $1000 (or so) NOx trap on a car, it doesn't make those parts cheap.
Re:Well, it running diesel is pretty important.... (Score:3, Informative)
Uhm... but the difference between 30 mpg and 50 mpg easily makes up the difference in fuel costs... I owned a VM tdi and easily got 50 mpg on the highway.
Out of a thousand miles, you'd buy 20 gallons versus 33 gallons (assuming 30 mpg gas and 50 mpg diesel). The price difference (even using the inaccurate figure of $1.50 more per gallon means you save about $10 dollars. For a more reasonable 5% difference in price, means you save about $35 per 1000 miles total.
Anyway, I'm sure you can find plenty situations in which the diesel looses... but for the average consumer a diesel car will be cheaper to operate... it certainly was in my case.
Now someone needs to sell a diesel minivan... parents are the most cost-conscience group I know.
Re:Truth (Score:2, Informative)
Yeah. The same thing that kept Google's hybrid car from using diesel: California emissions red tape. IIRC, CA rates the emissions by each unit of fuel burned. So a 230mpg hybrid rates the same as a 15mpg truck. Yet another reason for ONE national emissions standard.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
Um, gee I dunno 50MPG (diesel) vs 30MPG (gas).
I'd much rather pay $1.00 more per gallon for getting 20MPG better.
Across 400 miles, if gas is $3.00 and diesel is $4.00, then I'm ahead by $8. If gas is $4.00 and diesel is $5, then I'm ahead $13.33
Unfortunately too many uneducated Americans don't do the math, they just see one price. Most of my fellow Americans also think that paying $250/month for 72 months is better than paying $350/month for 48 months for the same car.
And people wonder why the average American is in debt up to their eyeballs.
I really would love to see a diesel hybrid. That thing would blow the doors off of the crappy gasoline hybrids that are around now. Cleaner exhaust, better fuel mileage, longer life.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
It's a VW, just cheaper and with a different badge.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
Addressing your first question: modern diesel engines with Diesel Particular Filters (e.g., the 2009 VW Jetta TDI) could experience some issues with biodiesel. In short, the DPF is designed to trap particulates which are periodically (every 1000 miles or so) burned off by injecting diesel into a specially designed fuel catalyst in the exhaust. This injection uses the cylinder fuel injectors during the exhaust stroke. Unfortunately, biodiesel has a higher boiling point than petroleum diesel, which leads to condensation on cylinder walls and consequent crankcase oil contamination. (reference [biodieselmagazine.com])
A recent study at MIT's Sloan Automotive Lab [energy.gov] indicates that this contamination might not be as deleterious as previously believed despite the fact that the highly polar methyl esters compete with ZDDP [wikipedia.org] on engine surfaces.
A couple drivers on the TDIClub forums [tdiclub.com] are running B100 (100% biodiesel) in their 2009 TDIs with the express intent of directly testing oil quality and engine wear. While 2 cars do not a comprehensive study make, their experiences, oil analyses, et cetera will be invaluable in allowing owners to decide what risks they're willing to take. (For reference, previous versions of the VW TDI engine came with stern warnings that no biodiesel should be run at all, and yet many owners have run B100 for 100k to 200k miles with no problems attributable to the biodiesel).
My guess is that within the next few years all diesel vehicles will be designed to work well with some percentage of biodiesel, since governments around the world (including the EU and several American states) are mandating a schedule of increased biodiesel percentage in their petroleum diesel. Combined with the maturation of BTL, diesel vehicles have a far brighter future than the brain-dead food-for-(poor)-fuel economics that is E85.
-=rsw
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
Thank you for being environmentally and fiscally conscious WITHOUT being a douchebag to everyone else on the road. Some "hypermiling" lunatics cause more problems than they solve because they fuck up traffic for everyone else, which results in more net pollution from everyone trying to deal with them on the road, even if they save a couple of dollars a week. Selfish twats...
Anyway, thanks :)
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
Car model years actually start in August (and production in July,) not January. ;)
So, model year 2009 diesel cars are on dealer lots (well, OK, in the case of VW, not on dealer lots, rather in driveways - I don't know about Mercedes) right now.
The Mercedes E320 Bluetec is a clean diesel, and came out in 2007, so my comment applies to that, too.
Re:Truth (Score:4, Informative)
Yes there are: tighter emission standards, higher safety requirements, America's penchant for higher performing engines.
Americans seem to believe that we have higher safety requirements - but its simply not true. The transportation research board http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/teepa/pdf/TRB_Safety_1-03.pdf [lbl.gov] (see page 17) shows that import cars are consistently safer for the occupants than are american vehicles. Typical response at this point is, "But we've got SUVs on our roads, of course the foreign cars have better safety numbers" This data is for import vehicles. that is, they were driven on the same roads, with the same conditions, with the same other vehicles, and came out with significantly better safety numbers. How do you say the US has higher safety standards AND say that SUVs create a more dangerous environment to drive in? Real safety standards would improve the safety of everyone.
Re:$25,700 for the subcompact Ford! (Score:3, Informative)
Not in Europe... At current rates, $25,700 is €18,116. I just jumped over to my national Toyota site and configured a Toyota Auris with a Diesel Engine (That model is similar in size to a Fiesta) and that would cost €17.185.
Even taking their smallest model, the Toyota Yaris it would still cost €12.405. (Again, I took a Diesel model to be fair).
I'm sure I'd be able to get two second hand Toyotas for that price, but that wouldn't be a fair comparison.
No (Score:3, Informative)
Re:That's your excuse?? (Score:1, Informative)
I have a 2008 Ford F-450 6.4L diesel. I had the truck reflashed recently and now get an amazing 11.1 mpg (previously it was 10.something mpg consistently). Why only 11 mpg?:
- it's a dually
- aerodynamics of a brick, so > 65mph burns through fuel.
- 4.88 rear end
- 5 speed
- 100 gallon Transfer Flow diesel tank in the bed (which weighs ~1000 lbs when full!)
When I'm towing heavy (large toy hauler) I get between 7-9 mpg here in the Rocky Mountains.
Various posts on thedieselstop.com have indicated that many new superduty truck buyers are opting for the gas engine rather than the 6.4L diesel due to fuel costs. The F-450 only comes with a diesel though.
Re:The nineties called, they want their car back (Score:3, Informative)
According to Google, 65 mpg is 3.6 litres per 100km [google.com].
Are you sure you used US gallons (3.7 l), rather than UK gallons (4.5 l)?
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
But, they don't seem to quite get that, and public perception is that diesels are dirty, so...
I'm not saying that things aren't better.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_EPA_Reports_Diesel_Linked_To_Lung_Cancer.asp [cancer.org]
I'm just saying there are reasons that diesel has a bad image.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
I drive a diesel Renault Scenic. Not the most powerful beast on the planet but on long runs I can exceed 70mpg. Then again, currently paying about £1.22/litre it's still expensive to run.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:2, Informative)
I've gone behind my 2006 diesel Jeep Liberty many times when it is running.
There is no visible exhaust.
As far as smell, I try to use B10 whenever possible. The smell is minimal and even then I only notice if it is in an partially enclosed space, like an open garage.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:4, Informative)
In a modern diesel, glow plugs don't even turn on unless the engine water temperature goes below about 42 degrees F. So if the engine is warm, glow plugs never turn on. I have a Golf TDI here in Massachusetts, I consistently have the car turn faster than any gas engined car I have driven.
Definitely, YMMV though!
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
Diesel contains approximately 30% more energy per volume than gasoline does.
No it doesn't. It contains between 0-10% more energy than gasoline. Diesel engines are more efficient largely because they use higher compression. Gas engines can't increase the compression without causing pre-ignition, but diesel engines don't have this problem because the fuel is injected at the top of the compression stroke.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:That's your excuse?? (Score:3, Informative)
The 4.88 axle really kills you. You should have had the option of a 4.37 diff., which does a little better. But I have heard from multiple people that the 6.4l just doesn't live up to fuel economy expectations.
I've owned a tired 6.9l IDI, a 7.3l PSD, and currently a 6.0l. The 6.9l would always posted 18 mpg solo with a fresh set of injectors and pump. I never tried towing anything significant with it, but it would drop to 13 - 14 with a slide in camper. The 7.3 has the 3.73LS gears, and gets 17.5 mpg all day at 70 mph. Towing a 10k lb. TT it drops to 9.5 - 10.5 depending on speed and hills.
The 6.0l got a bad rap for some injector defects and software bugs early on. I use mine to tow a 35' bunkhouse 5er and haven't has any trouble at all. The 3.73LS gears are a little tall for mountains, but it does OK. Solo it posts 17 mpg. With a 12k lb. 5er it gets 11 mpg at 70 mph. When I visit California, I have to go 55 mph, and the fuel economy goes up to 12.
I'd seriously consider swapping out the ring and pinion in your rig.
Re:The reason is 30 years old (Score:3, Informative)
Actually... The reason was GM's late 70's 350 conversion. They took the venerable 350 c.i. gasoline V8 engine block and converted it to diesel. The results were quite predictable. Cracked blocks, thrown rods, blown head gaskets, etc...
Ford put the first medium duty truck engine in their F-series trucks in the early 80's and had an instant hit. I still miss my smog belching 6.9l. All kinds of fun when some punk in a Honda pulls along side you and fires up the boomity boom music. There's no way their sewing machine motor can beat 400 ft/lbs off the line. Since they wanted me to listen to their music so badly, I used to blow smoke at them. Usually in the driver's window and out the passenger's window. :-)
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
Not really. Diesel engines have a lot more torque at the low end which is where most driving is done, especially for those of us who live in urban areas. This is, in part, why vehicles that carry heavy loads use diesel engines because all the torque needed to pull that load is there when it's needed.
Have you ever heard the saying that "people buy horsepower and drive torque"? My VW DSG FSI engine, which is quite efficient for a gas engine, and is largely topped efficiencywise by cars like the Honda Fit and similar -- to be expected because they're smaller and lighter, but the VW engine is quite respectable and I routinely get 31+ highway, variable mileage in the city but pretty good -- but it would easily be topped torquewise by a diesel. It's just an inherent property of diesel engines. A 90-horsepower VW TDI diesel feels as "peppy", with the kind of driving most people do, as an engine with 150 horsepower because of the power band and because that torque is available down low.
This is not to say that either gas engines or diesel engines are "bad". It is merely that they are inherently different and the torque curve is one of them. Diesel fans aren't being biased when they say there's more torque in a diesel -- not really. They are getting more of it perhaps because most drive time is probably spent at lower rpm (I know that in commute traffic, mine is) so yes, at those same rpms they do get more torque than our gas engines do.
They should, it is true, modify their statement but most people aren't gearheads and don't know how to be more specific.
I hope I am making some kind of sense with my attempt to address your complaint/comment and explain where the problem is arising.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:1, Informative)
You Americans had better check your gas prices carefully before posting them. I live in Ottawa, Canada and the price of diesel is about 10% LESS than regular gasoline.
If you live in a city or small town where diesel costs more than gasoline, you're getting SCREWED.
Just do a search on Google for "UK gasoline diesel prices" and you'll see the prices in other countries around the world. Diesel is the cheapest.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
The US had a brief foray into diesel in the early 1980s, and it was an utter failure. That's because the diesels they were putting into service then were converted gas engines. They were unreliable, noisy, smelly, and underpowered in the full-size steel cars they were trying to pull.
I think the buying public is probably ready for modern diesels, designed from the ground up as diesels. Mercedes and VW have been doing diesel the right way for a long time. But the US automotive industry still remembers the last time they tried it.
My Diesel (Score:3, Informative)
I bought a used 2005 Excursion Diesel.
I can haul 8 people and all their stuff (got a fourth kid in the planning stages, 2 parents, dogs, cats, car I tow... )
It weights 7700lbs.
I get 22-24 MPG @ 65-75 MPH.
If I granny it enough, I can get about 16 MPG around town.
I'd love to see more diesels in SMALLER vehicles.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
I remember reading once that diesel engines were most efficient when run at their top RPM.
This is, in general, true of any engine. Power is related to the rotational speed and the torque output. Maximum efficiency is going to roughly coincide with the highest speed you can make before torque starts to fall off too much, which happens due to flow restrictions mostly - either fuel or air.
Gasoline engines are lighter and have smaller stroke, so can spin a lot faster, which is why they have higher horsepower ratings despite having lower torque. Still, at their peak efficiency they aren't much worse than diesels - just a few percent.
So in my long-winded way, I'm getting around to saying that a diesel-electric would not necessarily get you a whole lot of efficiency gain over a gasoline-electric, especially since we're not on a railroad so engine weight has more importance on fuel economy. That extra weight has to be compensated for with more power, bigger brakes, etc and costs you some of the efficiency difference from combustion.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
I really would love to see a diesel hybrid. That thing would blow the doors off of the crappy gasoline hybrids that are around now. Cleaner exhaust, better fuel mileage, longer life.
Like this [slashdot.org]?
" The XR3 is a "plug-in hybrid." This makes it possible to drive on battery power alone on trips of about 40 miles. And when both the diesel and the battery-electric systems are used together, and the car is driven conservatively, fuel economy increases to over 200-mpg. Fuel economy is about 125-mpg on diesel power alone. "
Re:Truth (Score:1, Informative)
Clarification on the NOx thing:
NO3: Doesn't exist as a stable compound
NO2: Extremely toxic reddish gas, causes irreversible lung damage. One of the combustion byproducts that catalytic converters destroy. Note that this compound has an odd number of electrons, making it one of the few stable radicals.
NO: Oxidizes in the atmosphere to NO2
N2O: Laughing gas, aka NOS. Harmless, but a very potent greenhouse gas (~300 times stronger than CO2, according to Wikipedia). I believe this one is produced in small quantities on any hot metal surface exposed to the air.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:4, Informative)
It's not that I don't believe you, but I don't believe you.
Premium fuel has higher octane. That prevents premature destination in high compression engines. It stops engine 'knock'. Lower compression engines aren't affected by premature detonation, and so don't need the higher octane rating.
Premium does not have a higher energy content than regular gas. The corolla engine isn't a high compression engine (I have one), and so premium does nothing for the engine, but does cost more.
Diesel back then (Score:2, Informative)
Re:And this is why Ford and Chevy are... (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dimg2n2Azwg [youtube.com]
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:2, Informative)
Yes, but you're not considering another important factor: diesel engines have a far greater life expectancy than any gas motor. Yeah, call out that guy with the million mile Corolla or whatever, but he's a very rare exception.
Check any classified section/buy & sell car guide magazine and you'll see all the diesel cars have like 200,000+ km on the clock, many over 300,000km. How many gas cars do you see with that many kms? Would you actually want to buy any of them? A properly maintained diesel engine will last well over 600,000km. I know a guy who has a VW diesel out of a '79 Rabbit in his garage on an engine stand. Original EVERYTHING, never changed one gasket, one bolt... nothing except oil and coolant. The thing has 637,000km on it. The car disintegrated around the motor. It was being held together with aircraft cable and had to be junked about 10 years ago.
If you're willing to drive the same car for 10-15 years (God forbid!) then the initial cost of the diesel model is far outweighed by the fuel savings and you save the cost of buying a new car every 5 years or so. Do you really think your Smart Car will last 15 years?
And no, maintenance on a diesel is not any more expensive than a gas motor if you pay attention to your maintenance schedule. We have a 2002 Jetta TDI. I do most of the work yourself, have a good source for a decently priced parts (avoid the stealerships at all costs!), and know a good mechanic for the harder stuff. It's the same cost as our 1997 Golf gasser (1.8L non-turbo). One word of advice though: DO THE TIMING BELT EXACTLY WHEN IT SAYS TO OR ELSE YOU'LL BE VERY, VERY SORRY AND POOR!!! No, I'm not speaking from experience, but I know someone who has, and yeah it wasn't pretty.
Fuel mileage... 50L/1100km regularly (80/20 highway/city). On Friday gas was $1.40/L and diesel was $1.21! Fucking oil companies gauging the living shit out of us!
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:4, Informative)
Fair enough, but there still is way too much hype over European diesels.
1) The NEDC (New European Drive Cycle) is more lax than the revised EPA drivecycle -- lower speeds, less aggressive accel, etc. It more fits typical European driving. A rough conversion from the NEDC MPG to the revised EPA drivecycle is to divide by about 1.15
2) Diesel is simply a denser fuel. A gallon of diesel represents about 15% more petroleum and emits about 15% more CO2 when burned. To compare apples to apples, divide all diesel mileages by 1.15 before comparing to gasoline mpgs.
3) Sometimes when people list European car mpgs, they use miles per imperial gallons. An imperial gallon contains 1.2 times as much as a standard gallon, so divide by 1.2
In this case, the 65mpg is per US gallon, not imperial, so the equivalent US, gasoline mileage is 65 / 1.15 / 1.15 = 49mpg. You can cross-check comparisons between vehicles by comparing CO2 g/km. Since it's mainly cars sold in Europe from where we get these figures, they're almost always from the NEDC, so no need to convert. In this case, the Ford Fiesta Econetic gets just a touch under 100 g/km, while the 46mpg Prius gets just a touch over 100 g/km. So, that matches up. Lastly, an additional thing to keep in mind is that not all vehicles are the same. In this comparison, for example, the Prius is a larger, more powerful car than the Ford Fiesta Econetic. Without any changes to the body or the technology of the drivetrain, you could always downsize an engine and get better fuel economy. But of course, that's not an equivalent comparison.
To sum up:
1) All "gallons" are not created equal (if all you cared about was how many miles you got per "whatever gallon" of "whatever fuel", you might as well run a car on Zarnathian Supergallons of beryllium slurry). One shouldn't compare different-sized gallons or gallons of different fuels without a conversion factor.
2) All drivecycles are not created equal (and this includes peoples' individual driving styles), and one shouldn't compare non-equivalent drivecycles without a conversion factor.
3) All vehicles are not created equal, and one should keep this in mind when comparing vehicles (although it's still fair to compare non-equivalent vehicles so long as the difference is noted).
Re:speeding (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Truth (Score:3, Informative)
>45mpg is about average in Europe, and most of the average cars come from American manufacturers.
You must be kidding or not know what the word 'most' means. GM (only the Opel brand) and Ford with cars that are not on the market anywhere in the US have less than 21%.
Top Selling Cars in Europe in 2007 by Manufacturing Groups
The Volkswagen Group (VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti & Lamborghini) comfortably maintained its lead as best selling car manufacturer in Europe by capturing 19.7% (20.2% in 2006) of the total market. Second biggest manufacturer was the French PSA Group (Peugeot & Citroen) with 12.8% (12.9%) of the European market followed by Ford with 10.5% (10.4%), GM with 10.2% (10.2%), and Renault with 8.7% (9.2%).
http://internationaltrade.suite101.com/article.cfm/top_selling_cars_in_europe_in_2007 [suite101.com]
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:5, Informative)
Diesel contains approximately 30% more energy per volume than gasoline does.
No it doesn't. It contains between 0-10% more energy than gasoline.
"The density [wikipedia.org] of petroleum diesel is about 0.85 kg/l (7.09 lbs/gallon) whereas petrol (gasoline) has a density of about 0.72 kg/l (6.01 lbs/gallon), about 15% less. When burnt, diesel typically releases about 38.6 MJ/l (138,700 BTU per US gallon), whereas gasoline releases 34.9 MJ/l (125,000 BTU per US gallon), 10% lear[2] by energy density, but 45.41 MJ/kg and 48.47 MJ/kg, 6.7% more by specific energy." "Fuel Energy Density" [berkeley.edu] says automotive gasoline has a density of 34.2 MJ/litre whereas automotive diesel has a density of 38.6 MJ/litre.
Falcon
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:2, Informative)
1. No, that doesn't cause traffic jams in itself. Following too closely and having to brake sharply when the car in front of you does (due to lack of two seconds of space) causes traffic jams.
Yes, it does. In itself. People are not computers. So in any deceleration there is a delay and then harder deceleration in the car behind you. If you keep the 2 second gap, you'll need to break when you realize some tenths of a second later that the guy before you is decelerating. This all adds up, and there'll be traffic jam in no time. Smooth acceleration is working the same way. It'll take more time fore the guys behind you until they can start accelerating again. Once again, we have a jam. BTW, have you ever considered that maintaining the 2 second gap lowers the throughput of the road? That also causes jams, if not on the road you're driving, the on some other road. I'm not saying the 2 second gap is wrong nor that you shouldn't be allowed to decelerate. Just get the facts staright.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:3, Informative)
and someone obeying the rules regarding decleration lanes would not even be nearly hit ONCE, let alone TWICE.
but YOU are responsible for not hitting cars in front of you
and then swerved around me and back in front of me an inch from my FRONT bumper -- enjoy MY high beams, jackass
Case and point...-ONCE- by your own reasoning. Not to mention, being rude to others because they were "rude" first is not justifiable...
By the way... you can stop calling everyone internet strangers... If you didn't want "internet strangers" opinions, then you shouldn't have posted the story.
Re:Does that mean it can run on BIOdiesel? (Score:2, Informative)