Are diesel cars greener than gas powered cars?

Question

I just got a new car, a Volkwagen Jetta, that is diesel and I used to drive a Dodge Neon. I find my gas (diesel) mileage to be much much better driving my Volkswagen, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me if I am doing anything to help the environment by burning diesel.

I used to get approximately 400km (250 miles) on 60 litres (15US gal )of gas with the Neon.
Now with my VW I get 900 km (560 miles) on 45 litres (12US gal) of diesel.

Answer 1

Burning diesel used to cause terrible pollution, but it is much improved since the development of ultra-low sulfer diesel (ULSD). Diesels get 20-40% better fuel efficiency than gasoline fueled cars, but have 15% more greenhouse gas emissions per volume, so overall they're a slight environmental improvement over gasoline cars. Hybrids are much better than both diesels and gas cars.

However, you can improve your environmental friendliness by using biodiesel. Most of the carbon dioxide emitted when burning biodiesel is simply recycling that which was absorbed during plant growth, so the net production of greenhouse gases is small. If you're interested, check out the link below for further details.

Answer 2

Diesel has more btu's of energy than gas and a diesel engine gets more than double the miles per gallon than gas. This means burning less fuel per mile. The idea that the exhaust of a diesel is not as clean as a gas engine is because, especially on a diesel rig, you see a large plume of black smoke. My argument is that the larger particles in the diesel will attach to smaller particles and the combined weight will cause them to sink to the ground, thus becoming fertilizer. A gas engine with a catalytic converter, will create very small particles that ascend higher into the atmosphere and create acid rain. Stop and watch the smoke the next time you see a large truck take off from a stop light, see how far the smoke goes before it settles to the ground.
I think you made a great decision buying a diesel and if someone would create a diesel hybrid, I'd be the first to buy it too.

Answer 3

We have owned VW diesels since 1980. We've run either petrodiesel or biodiesel in them. Either type of fuel delivers about the same mileage.

Diesel fuel is better for the environment because it is less processed than gasoline, it's safer to store and is less volatile. The new formulations of ultra-low sulphur diesel make it cleaner to burn than gasoline.

My husband's current project is to convert a VW diesel Bug to "veggie" diesel, or SVO (straight vegetable oil). Actually, it's a separate tank in the trunk that contains filtered used vegetable oil recycled from local restaurants. You do need to start and stop the engine using petro or bio diesel fuel, but once the engine's hot enough the veggie diesel flows thinly enough to be combusted properly in the engine.

There's also a type of homemade biodiesel which is made from vegetable oil and converted so you don't have to preheat it.

Talk about the ultimate help to the envionment! Keeps the recycled restaurant oil from the landfill, gets awesome mileage (60+mpg), almost no carbon emissions, and decreases our country's dependency on foreign oil.

Answer 4

I've actually considered buying a Volkwagen Jetta once I get out of college, because they have great fuel mileage running on diesel. I would definitely consider an American car which ran on diesel if it were reasonably priced, and if it were made into a hybrid, then that would just be another plus. I think that diesel should definitely be a part of our country's future.

Answer 5

The answer depends on how one measures "green".

There is little to no doubt that because diesels get better gas mileage, the amount of CO2 per mile is greatly reduced compared to a gasoline engine. The carbon content of diesel and gasoline is about the same, so if you double your fuel economy, you should cut the CO2 emissions per mile by 50%.

The other tailpipe emissions are not as well controlled in diesels pre-2007. VW promises a 50-state legal diesel engine in the next year or so. It has particulate trap and catalytic converter, so its emissions will rival gasoline engines at all levels, plus continue to deliver less CO2.

The recent reduction of sulphur content in US diesel has been a major advance in reducing particulate emissions.

Answer 6

Well, they are more fuel efficient than gas vehicles, even gas hybrids. They are as efficient as gas hybrids in the city and more efficient than gas hybrids on the highway due to the way the engine combusts the fuel. The only bad thing is that diesels let off more greenhouse gases than gas does. So normally a more stringent exhaust filter system is added to the diesels to compensate and make their exhaust as clean as for gas vehicles.

Answer 7

I have heard the U.S. is pondering making more vehicles that run with diesel. I would assume it's a little cleaner but not much. I imagine the main idea is so we don't have to rely as much on gasoline. But the good thing is that at least you are helping by not using as much gas. Good Job!!!!!

Answer 8

yes diesel is somewhat green gas is in white colour so somewhat diesel cars are greener than gas powered cars

Answer 9

Burning diesel does hurt the enviroment but it does act more effiecient in terms of mileage. howewver i researched at www.asavingsongas.myffi.biz , enviromentally freindly site and it explains in detail how to continue getting that great gas milage and reduce emissions up to 75%. go see good site.

Answer 10

no cuz diesel is crude and gas is less crude. the more dirtiness in the oil, the worse it is for the environment.