If Bio-diesel is so good for the Environment, Why doenst all car companys just produce Bio-diesel Auto's ?

Question

If Bio-diesel is so good for the Environment, Why doenst all car companys just produce Bio-diesel Auto's ?

Answer 1

the big reason is that diesel emission standards have been tightened so severely that small diesel engines are not practical at this time. also diesel fuel prices are much higher than gasoline prices, and diesel fuel economy isnt as great as it was only 15 years ago. one more thing, diesel powered vehicles generally run about $6,000-$10,000 more than an equivalent gas powered vehicle.

Answer 2

Do you want to eat or do you want to drive?

The agriculture community is rapidly embracing biofuels as its saviour, whether farmers with their little plots or multinationals chopping down rainforests. OK, so we get a little more fuel and it makes our politicians feel better in their publicly funded hybrid cars, but does it stack up from a life-cycle analysis perspective? Most commentators say that it does not. Do we know? Probably not! Can I tell a subsistence farmer that he should stop doubling his income for the good of the environment? No! Can I tell a westerner that it is OK to continue using as much fuel provided it is 'bio' approved? Definetly not! Let's start using less -- and, please US citizens (although I suspect that the members of this conference are not the people we are trying to convince), lead the way for a change!

Answer 3

and the rich get richer

Answer 4

because that costs money honey, money the u.s is not willing to have

Answer 5

Because of morons like Richard B, Denis K and Sara spewing lies about diesel engines and biodiesel. That and most American drivers are too stupid to see that diesel is the superior engine.

The food vs. fuel argument is pure, unfiltered, unadulterated, 100% b u l l s h i t! Making biodiesel does not eliminate foodstocks and it can be made from all kinds of plants including inedible ones.

Automakers care about what people want, whether it's good for them or not. New car buyers can afford to buy new cars, or in other words, they're rich (Yes, if you can drop even $9K for a new Kia, you're rich) and they want powerful gasoline engines. Americans are afraid of diesel engines and the noise, smoke and vibrations they make (well, the ones from the 80s made), even though new diesel engines are barely distinguishable from gas engines to the untrained eye.

Since not enough people want diesels, and even fewer people are aware that diesels are supposed to be run on vegetable oil instead of that filthy petroleum c**p, which leads faux-environmental organizations to regulate the c**p out of new diesel engine production, automakers don't make very many of them.

Thanks a ton Big Oil.

Answer 6

Because they would have to sell diesel cars, and diesel cars take off very slow, in cold climates they have to be plugged in or they won't start, and not all areas sell bio-diesel.  Plus the amount of the "bio" in the bio-diesel is so low it does not help very much, and if you put more of the veritable oil in your car than they recommend it will void your warranty on an new car.

Answer 7

because they don't give a darn about the environment. they produce what ever is gonna make them more money, and unfortunately most customers don't give a darn about the environment either. see Hummer and all their sales.

Also, it's just by the grace of god that we even have hybrids and a slight increase in any fuel standards or rumors or alternatives.

If the government and auto industries weren't under such extreme pressure by environmentalists, we'd probably have gasoline ONLY at like 10 mpg tops

Answer 8

Good question.  Because automakers are very afraid of change.  They prefer to keep making money on sure things.  (of course, what they think is a sure thing, isn't.)

They also have been holding back from diesels because the EPA has been planning to rewrite the smog standards for diesels.  That was finally completed in 1997, so the automakers are now going ahead - but it takes a few years to get an engine from drawing board to showroom.

They are also being cautious about supporting biodiesel.  Right now they will only certify their engines for 20% biodiesel.  I expect they'll later certify them for 100% biodiesel, and some will even make SVO friendly engines.

The hybrid revolution is also changing things.

Boeing is taking a keen interest in biofuels, because it's now obvious that their industry is in big big trouble if fuel prices keep rising.  Airplanes use a LOT of fuel.  Jet fuel and diesel are very similar, so Boeing's work will help cars too.

Answer 9

Because there is not enough bio diesel in production to replace gasoline.