Hi,

I'm relatively new but I had noticed some of the diesel advocates like to drag their technology into various threads. I have nothing against diesels but their postings can hijack a hybrid-electric thread into a useless diesel advocacy (see "Help - Proof that Batteries can't blow up?").

Rather than tell them to 'go away,' it may be more effective to let them have a 'hyper mileage' database and recognition . . . a place where they can assert their advocacy and leave the hybrid-electric threads alone.

IMHO, diesels can be 'green' so it only seems fair to recognize their contribution.

Bob Wilson

 

WWWEEEEEELLLLLL, diesels can be green, but they have not yet got there in a production vehicle in the USA *at this time.*

The web and news stories keep SAYING it will happen, but until Honda or Toyota makes a clean (I mean CLEAN) diesel 5-passenger sedan available to the USA buying public, it will all just be smoke and mirrors.

I agree that when they DO, they deserve more attention from everyone, including this website. But for now, only Hybrids are "green and clean" in the U.S. of A.

 

Other technologies such as fuel cells are discussed here. FCVs are not in production anywhere.

I don't have a problem with the mention of any of these...

There may be a caveat: Some want dedicated threads to those discussions.

 

I guess I dont understand the definition of:

- green
- clean

A high MPG is not enough? Are there engineering units we use for either 'green' or 'clean'?

Bob Wilson

 

That is my thought. But are there no small diesels sold in the US?

Some of the small diesels are reported to get pretty good MPG which should reduce their CO(2) load. I know they have other emission challenges but it isn't clear what level they have to achieve to be 'clean.'

I've read some literature that many of the diesel emission problems can be mitigated by cooling and injecting significant portions of their exhaust. This reduces the combusion temperature that generate NO(2).

I have nothing against diesels but am wondering what is the boundry. If it were in the FAQ, we could simply site it and get back to our 'clean' and 'green' technology discussions. But I'd rather let them have a place to 'play'.

Bob Wilson

 

VW has plenty of small diesels sold in the U.S.

 

but ... aren't we missing the point? GREEN maybe ... HYBRID no. It would be better to have a diesel section once they have a green diesel hybrid. Then it will be relevant to this website. Otherwise, why not have a seperate section for CRX's, Geo Metro's, or any car that has a 40+ MPG rating such as the Corolla highway mileage. If it isn't a green car that is also a hybrid, then it hasn't earned the right to have it's section, until then (I feel the exception would be no emissions vehicles such as Hydrogen, Fuel Cell, pure electric, etc.) ... ignore those advocates if they bother you, there are non-specific sections they can speak in, so refer them there.

 

--

 

Ok, <color my face red>. The hybrid is the qualifier and pointing out the obvious may be all that it takes. I guess I got a little confused by the 'signature' blocks for non-hybrid cars. Perhaps if the non-hybrids were grayscale, not color, . . . but not a big deal.

Bob Wilson

 

Thats actualy not a bad idea Someone tell Jason