Clean Diesel Surpassing Sales Expectations

Many green energy groups are happy to see that clean diesel sales in the U.S. have increased 25% in 2014. Since March, there have been six consecutive months of increasing clean diesel sales, despite there only being under 50 different types of clean diesel cars available in the country. The turn towards clean diesel is expected to double the number of diesel vehicles in the country in the next 18 months, with more vehicles meaning higher clean diesel sales. Even for those in mechanic colleges, diesel may seem a strange trend to follow when electric cars are the hot new thing for the environment. While this is true, we will show you how diesel still holds it merits.

What Exactly is a Diesel Car?

The appeal of diesel engines comes mostly from their fuel economy, which an automotive service technician will know is generally better than a gasoline engine. While gasoline engines work by igniting a mixture of gas and air, diesel engines work by compressing the air, then spraying diesel fuel, which is ignited by the hot compressed air. Ultimately, diesel is the more efficient internal combustion engine and has a higher energy content than gasoline. “Clean” diesel has been made possible by refiners reducing the sulfur content in diesel by up to 97%. You will commonly find diesel engines in heavy duty vehicles such as a towing truck, because these engines offer a lot of torque per revolution of the motor. However, diesel engines also have great mileage, making them an appealing option for SUVs and family vehicles as well.

Environmental Impact of Diesel

While those in auto careers may debate about the benefits of diesel over gasoline, the truth is that diesel engines emit about 20% less greenhouse gases than a gasoline engine. The excellent fuel economy of diesel engines is good for drivers trying to save money, but also benefits the environment by spewing fewer pollutants. Along with the aforementioned lower sulfur rates, today’s clean diesel has been developed to reduce all types of harmful effects on the environment. Clean diesel uses B20, which reduces the emissions of petroleum particle matter by 10%, emissions of C02 by 15% and unburned hydrocarbons by 21%.

Models of Diesel Cars

While diesel engines are most typical for trucks and buses, automobile companies are also incorporating diesel technology into your typical family vehicle. Audi has released a whole new line of clean diesel cars and SUVs which use their TDI clean diesel technology. Their website even shows you the amount of money and fuel you’ll save driving their clean diesel vehicles. BMW has also released a selection of all-new sedans and sports wagons in the 3 Series and 5 Series, which use the BMW Efficient Dynamics clean diesel technology. Porsche has also released a diesel vehicle: the Cayenne Diesel. This SUV with the optional turbocharger has an astonishing 520-horsepower engine and its fuel consumption is only 6.6 liters per 100 km. Diesel cars have also been produced for the 2014 year by Chevrolet, Jeep, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz.