Bluetec Diesel Cars.

[Gogi]

Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Volkswagen have announced they plan to field fuel-efficient, clean-diesel engines using the Bluetec process. Bluetec is the name given to a process wherein diesels use catalytic converters and particulate filters to reduce carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon emissions. Nitrogen oxide emissions from diesels are the toughest to lower, but injections of an aqueous urea solution called AdBlue reduce them to the point where they can now comply with the toughest emission standards. Bluetec diesels are not only 20 to 40 percent more efficient than gasoline engines, their abundant torque gives excellent performance. Will be available in 2008, also in 2008 Saturn will start selling a Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid.

Please don't ask for a link, I got this from the local newspaper. Tom Strongman: [e-mail] is the reporters e-mail addy.

[alfredo]

1. How will it handle biofuel?

[Gogi]

2. Article did'nt say. eom

[alfredo]

5. We'll find out soon enough. Someone will try.

[RC]

3. What local paper?

Most have web sites, even small papers.

[zeemike]

4. Seems like a lot of trouble to go to to avoid the electric car n/t

[RC]

6. Prime movers don't need extention cords.

Liquid fuel is easy to store and fast to transfer from storage tank to fuel tank.
Electric cars take hours to recharge. Hard to drive cross country 400 to 600 miles a day.

[zeemike]

7. And liquid fuel can be profitable.

How many times do you drive more than 200 miles a day? that would require 4 or 5 hours a day to do it.
But if you did take a trip across country then perhaps a small caisson attached to the back of the care with a small diesel engine and generator would extend your driving time to as many hours as you need.
But to invest in all that mechanical equipment just to have the capacity to go long distances is a real waste of not only energy but time and money as well.
And by the way there are faster ways to charge a battery than a 115v plug.

[RC]

9. Every couple of weeks

450 miles round trip on a weekend. SO & I trade weekends going back and forth.
Less often, in another direction 300 miles out and back in a day.

[buddysmellgood]

11. New batteries that charge to 80 percent of capacity in under a minute will

change that. That will make electric cars more convenient than messing with dangerous liquids.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0503/05032903tosh1minbatt.asp

The average commute is less than 30 miles per day, well within the range of old technology.

[TexasProgresive]

8. Link

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/mercedes_to_int.html

[acmejack]

10. Merry Christmas TP.

A good source you linked to! I appreciated their article on the camless engines, long the holy holy grail, as the average OHV engine expends approximately 50% of it HP driving it's valve train. In the past heat has been the enemy, resulting in a short service life for the solenoids driving the valves. Failure of the Solenoids and the consequent dropped valve related engine damage have shelved this concept for years.

Anyway I wanted to say hi to you TP knowing it has to be rough being a progressive in the heart of Aggieland. Merry Christmas!

[TexasProgresive]

14. Thank you

It's been kinda boring here (Aggieland) lately- the bushites all have sealed lips- you can't get any of them into a discussion or yell fest. The Ags even seem kind of subdued even after beating Texas- I think the sky is going to fall or a big paradigm change is on the horizon.

[blues90]

12. if it uses oil then forget it

It is not only the air we need to worry about it is also oil and all oil based products .

Batteries may help if they are not lead plates .

I still thing an electric powered mass transit is the best solution and get rid of the personal boxes rolling on rubber .

[high density]

13. I know a guy who just bought a Bluetec

MB E320. He hopes to get 37mpg out of it... I wonder how stinky it is from behind compared to a more typical diesel engine.