question about diesel verses gas?

Question

being that diesel fueled internal cumbustion engines are more efficient than gasoline burning ones why is over 90% of the cars made in the USA gasoline powered??

Answer 1

I believe the answer to your question lies in the cost of manufacturing a diesel engine. Diesel engines cost more to manufacture than gasoline engines due to the complex nature of how diesel engines work, thus adding to the overall cost of the vehicle. Also, since diesel burns very dirty and produces a lot of soot (nasty and smelly black smoke seen from trucks), a special catalytic converter must be installed in the exhaust system to minimize pollution and meet EPA standards. A lot of the foreign luxury car manufacturers, such as Mercedes Benz and VolksWagen, have started to manufacture turbo diesel cars. They get about 50 to 60 miles to the gallon, but the price of the car is much more than its gasoline powered counterpart. A diesel powered truck tractor, without the trailor, easily sells for over $100,000, simply because the diesel engine itself constitutes the majority of the cost. Although diesel engines are much more efficient in fuel consumption, they tend to be problematic in cold climates and are prone to stalling because diesel fuel is a semi-solid grease-like substance (unprocessed petroleum pretty much), not the refined liquid form you would expect from gasoline. It's like trying to keep a wax candle burning when the wax refuses to melt.

Answer 2

The short answer is because diesel engines historically have been slow, noisy, smelly and much more expensive to manufacture than gasoline engines. This however is changing. Technology is making diesel engines much more consumer friendly in the North American market.

Diesel engines are definitely more efficient than gasoline, but not because diesel fuel has more energy than gasoline. The greater efficiency comes from the compression ignition function that releases far more heat energy than the spark ignition of gasoline engines. The high torque at low rpm is the main reason that diesel engines have always captured the commercial market.

Answer 3

What everyone else said is correct but on top of that the fact is that diesel engines create larger amount of emissions and on top of that the diesel fuels in the united states are horrible compared to their European counterparts and to the first person that said that they are used mostly in trucks and so on the VW Golf TDi is a great little turbo diesel torque monster and to the other person that said they can go fast that BS they just don't rev as high as gasoline engines but put out way more torque

Answer 4

Hi Jessica! Ryan in Salina here.

In Europe, about 70% of the vehicles are diesel, 30% gas. Gas is $6.50 a gallon, diesel is $5.00/gallon. Here Gas is more common, and less expensive than diesel, and typically, gas engines put out more power for specific engine size and weight, and cost less to build. But you are correct, diesel is more efficient, which is why all large trucks, ships, many generators, etc are diesel. The extra cost and weight is more than offset by increased efficiency.

Answer 5

Diesel engines are extra sturdy and extra powerful. Diesel technologies has better fantastically contained in the perfect few years, that is why there is no smoke, a lot less noise and extra power. that's a disgrace that they have been sluggish to capture on right here contained in the U. S.. My '80 3 Mercedes diesel is somewhat extra severe priced to artwork on, yet very reliable and nonetheless runs large after 270k miles. Voltswagon autos have a poor reliability list, yet in case you get a VW, the TDI engine is large. in case you want a competent motor vehicle, keep searching.

Answer 6

Regular combustion engine can drive faster. However there is a new diesel race car that quick and runs at a lower RPM and lasts longer distance with the same amount of fuel.

Answer 7

one word ... cost. It cost more to purchase a diesel motor and consumers just did not want to spend the extra money. You will see alot more diesels on the road in the next couple years with Mercedes, VW, BMW, and Lexus all coming out with a new line of diesels. Diesel motors also can run 500,000 miles or more!

Answer 8

good question. not real sure why but i do know that diesel engines generally cost more to fix. then again if there were more out there, parts would be in mass quantities and therefore cheaper. so then i guess my answer is i don't know, but i hate the smell of those things.

Answer 9

diesel has more tourqe than gas, and most ppl nowadays dont want a big truck, and I dont think a big Cummins or Duramax would be good for a car.