Some spice for the Diesel vs Gasoline engine discussion

[Cyote61]

Lets just keep it simple. They just made up a lame reason so they could get new vehicles.

 

[TitanMike]

Lets just keep it simple. They just made up a lame reason so they could get new vehicles.

In 2017 I had an unexpected ride in one of their ambulances that took me to my Quad Bypass.

Trust me, they didn't need to make any excuses to replace their ambulances, at least the one I rode in. Everything on the vehicle rattled like some of the vehicles I drove in my High School days. Every bump in the road made me wonder what would be falling off and if I'd make it to the hospital.

 

[aircommuter]

There are only two sources of energy that produce energy at night without carbon emissions, and only one of those that doesn't depend on the weather. If we were really concerned about carbon emissions, we'd be building nuclear power plants.

Tesla already has 5000 charging stations in the U.S. I believe my next vehicle (not a TV) will be electric.

I have two diesel vehicles, and am getting ready to sell the oldest one. Nothing tows like a diesel, but electric could eventually. I can picture long haul truckers giving up 1/4 of their weight capacity for batteries.

5000 charging stations is a drop in the bucket. With around 150,000 gas stations then multiply by the extra time it takes to charge, they have a long ways to go. Not to mention most of them are not trailer friendly and the electric grid and it’s supply are grossly ill equipped.

 

[TitanMike]

I can(n't) picture long haul truckers giving up 1/4 of their weight capacity for batteries.

If powered by batteries there would be a weight offset by not having to have the huge diesel engine, cooling system, and transmission. That can add up to ~4,000 lbs on the average "Semi"




Net increase in weight for a battery powered "Semi" wouldn't be as large as many might think.

 

[ppine]

We have the cleanest burning motor vehicles in the world.
Even Europe does a terrible job with air quality.

 

[elob_tx]

How about CNG if you really want to make a difference.

The largest small city in my county installed a compressed natural gas filling station on the road between the hospital and the city service center almost 20 years ago now. All the city pickup and service trucks along with all the garbage trucks and fire department ambulances have been switched to CNG. Longer intervals between oil changes, minimal exhaust emissions and longer engine life they have found. They have even expanded the CNG filling station twice since it was put in and it's open for anyone to use, just pay with a credit card.

The city of Lake Jackson, TX is 50 miles due south of Houston, TX and there is lots of petrochemical plants and other light and heavy industry. Even the rail car switching is done with smaller and less polluting locomotives.

 

[elob_tx]

DW,

What did they do about the coal fired power plant in Fairbanks? When I was last there in 2013 they were talking about running Liqufied Natural Gas tankers down the haul road to Fairbanks so they could shut down those old coal fired units. They were already there in the late 1960's when I worked in the power industry in Alaska. Coal was hauled up on the Alaska Railroad from the coast.

 

[Cyote61]

In 2017 I had an unexpected ride in one of their ambulances that took me to my Quad Bypass.

Trust me, they didn't need to make any excuses to replace their ambulances, at least the one I rode in. Everything on the vehicle rattled like some of the vehicles I drove in my High School days. Every bump in the road made me wonder what would be falling off and if I'd make it to the hospital.

OK, if that's the case then I'm wrong about the lame excuse. Hope they get upgraded.