I have to thank kossack
princemyshkin for inspiring me to again write about this topic with his excellent (and very well-received) diary,
Holy Crap, look what Al Gore did to me!!!. After writing a few comments in that thread, it occurred to me that a new diary is needed on this fascinating topic. In this diary, my goal is to take what I know about this subject, spruced up with quotes, pictures, and other gimmicks, and inspire you with something positive to look forward to. To get you to read on to the extended section, I'll dangle a picture and a story for you:
Link to story
Did you click on link below the picture? How'd you like that money quote:
Peugeot has straightaway melted down the high of Toyota Pirus by promising to roll out hybrid diesel engines that give 82 miles per gallon by 2010.
F*cking Europeans!
Prior to seeing the beautiful burnt orange convertible article, I had seen another article about Peugeot's efforts. What car does this look like to you?
People are falling in love with the Prius here in America, so it doesn't hurt that this diesel hybrid is a pretty good doppelganger. Here's a Prius:
But what can the diesel hybrid do that the Prius can't? That's really the important question.
The hybrids deliver average combined city and highway fuel consumption of 3.4 liters per 100 kilometers (69 mpg US), with 90 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometer--a tank-to-wheel record for compact cars, the most popular segment in Europe. This is about 25% better than a similar vehicle equipped with a gasoline hybrid system, or as much as a liter per 100 kilometers in combined city and highway driving.
Hybrid technology using a petrol engine is not very competitive financially, and does not offer significantly better fuel economy or CO2 emission performance than a conventional HDi diesel engine. However, PSA Peugeot Citroën believes that combining a hybrid powertrain with an HDi engine would constitute a step change in terms of improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions in Europe, where diesel engines are already widely used.
--PSA Peugeot Citroën statement
PSA Peugeot Citroën's Hybrid HDi technology includes:
* 1.6-liter HDi engine and diesel particulate filter system (DPFS)
* New-generation Stop & Start system (earlier post)
* Electric motor and inverter
* High-voltage battery pack
* Dedicated control electronics
* All-electric mode for speeds under 50 kilometers an hour (31 mph)
* Driver selection of Extended ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle, i.e., all-electric) mode
* Electronically-managed gearbox
Are you convinced yet? It makes me feel all sorts of shame and pain and depression, as well as deeply motivational anger and enthusiasm, that these vehicles aren't being vigorously pursued here in the U.S.
THEY COULD BE HERE RIGHT NOW!
Heck, they could have been here a lot earlier. See my earlier diaries on diesel hybrids here and here. The technology has been around for well over a decade. That is that sad, and inconvenient truth.
p.s. For more info on biodiesel, check out my blog's perma-links on the left side. I'm an industry insider, but I'm also a realist. I admit it has a lot of faults, but the big picture is very encouraging: I can tell you that based on a lot of research and experience.
p.p.s. Thank you.
UPDATE: I meant to add this quote and commentary as well, cribbed from my blog, when I started on this diary. Thanks for the comments!
While gigantic global corporations race for the prize of a 30 MPG hybrid SUV, the little people on the ground, people like you and me, and Soultek.com blogger Dahcredyns, are zipping past them with bigger (but unfunded, suppressed, and sometimes even bought-out-hyped-up-and-shelved) ideas:
Why are we so afraid to shoot for the moon? Why do we accept such complacency from governments, oil barons, and automotive corporations? Why don't we demand the best, most innovative fuel efficient technology available? Why don't we demand choice?
For example, instead of diesel, why not diesel hybrids? Even better, flex-fuel diesel plug-in hybrids or flex-fuel gasoline plug-in hybrids blow every competitor away.
The only technology that can compare to or surpass flex plug-in hybrid technology is fuel cell technology, but the costs are just to high at this time, and fuel cell vehicles will probably be hybrid vehicles anyway. Flex-fuel plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, can already achieve well over 100 mpg, while offering numerous fuel choices, such bio-diesel, diesel, gasoline, ethanol, electricity, solar-electricity, wind-electricity, etc.
Amen to that! The only thing I would add is that, at some point, even if we are producing the most exciting, sustainable technologies ever made, we are still producing them out of limited resources, and the market for things like automobiles is just so damn huge. I think of China, and I am sure that it is really TOO damn huge. Sure, we can veer toward materials recycling, and more efficient production techniques, but there is an argument for really learning to make better use of what we already have.