Why don't we use more diesel or bio-diesel?

Question

I was watching a tv show about mining one day and i learned that the proffered source of energy for the rail cars was in fact diesel. The first thing i thought of was, "How do they deal with the waste produced from the diesel engines?". It turns out that there is some type of filtration device that reduces the emissions of the diesel engine to almost nothing. After the filter system is full, it is recycled in some way. Diesel engines are more efficient, cleaner(especially if this filter thing actually works as they say), and they are much more reliable. Why don't we see cars with this technology? If this can be done with regular diesel in rail cars, why not diesel cars or even bio-diesel? I'd like to hear your thoughts on this about whether this is possible, impossible, stupid, smart, etc...

Answer 1

I cut my fuel consumption by 75% by swapping my large car for a Vespa!

There isn't enough corn in the world for us to convet to biodiesel. The boffins need to think a little harder.

Answer 2

Modern diesel cars are now available with diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and catalytic converters to burn organics and reduce NOx to nitrogen.  Search for "AdBlue" and "Bluetech" for more on this.

I own a diesel car, but advances in gasoline engines (Spray-guided Direct Cylinder Injection) are closing the efficiency gap and gasoline is now cheaper than diesel.

Answer 3

During the Korean war I was in Japan . They had diesels in there buses and when they stopped at a light and allowed to idle. It almost shook the buss apart.

Answer 4

Well they do use it in cars but no one wants one. they are noisy and not all gas stations have car diesel.

Diesel is a bi-product of the gasoline refining process, with that said why is diesel so much more than gas? Now, bio- diesel is another thing, in your standard truck you get about 1/3 of the mileage and less horse power.

No one knows the long range damage it can do to your engine, the same goes for bio-gas or " E85".

Not to mention the big oil company's don't want to loosen the grip on our wallets!

Answer 5

Biodiesel is a great alternative it can be produced from algae that can make over 10,000 gallons of oil per acre. When large-scale production starts it is possible to supply the need of fuel with biodiesel.  The vespa owner by the way who said the buffoons   need to think a little harder is a buffoon, one corn is not used to make bio diesel , so  he may want to do some more research. Biodiesel is biodegradable so if a spill occurs is not a problem.  There is no power loss and the reason I know this I make biodiesel and haven’t had any problems. Also I am getting about the same mileage a little less but nothing too bad about 17mpg’s in town and 20 on the freeway in a 2006 Powerstroke. Biodiesel is the next big thing I think since no modification is needed to most engines some need new fuel lines and others need minor modifications.  For the most part there is no down side to using biodiesel.

Answer 6

One thing is that the newer diesels are NOT noisy.  It is true that some people do not want them. The car makers over here do not want to push them like the Europeans do. Plus we have had so much trouble with the EPA with it's regulations.  I think it is going to have to happen, but it is going to be slow.  VW and Mercedes are aggressive in this market.  They have chosen not to go so strong with any hybrids.