Diesel News: POST HERE

[Kaisen]

A single data point only admittedly, but my 2010 Jetta TDI gets 42+ mpg around town and 49 mpg on the highway, and I don't "hypermile" it or drive it any differently than my other cars and trucks.

A new 2013 Jetta Diesel has an official EPA rating of 30 mpg city, 42 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined average. Referencing anecdotal information opens Pandora's box. Using the official EPA rating for vehicles allows a direct comparison to a given standard. Some will do better, some will do worse. But at least it's an official reference.

That is significantly better than what I've heard; I didn't know they had improved so much.

The VOLT has always had a total range of 380 miles. That's roughly 38 miles on electric-only power and 342 miles operating as a serial/parallel hybrid burning gasoline. The whole idea of a VOLT as an E-REV (electric vehicle with range extender) is that most people, most days will use it as an electric vehicle (gas generator never runs) but those days that they need to drive more than the electric-only range allows the generator will kick on and they can keep driving it like any other gasoline powered car.

The downside is that it is a compromise. You've got the weight and expense of carrying TWO powertrains, really. Would they be better off ditching the gas-powered generator and putting that weight and money savings into larger batteries for more electric-only range? That's Tesla's tenet with the Model S.

People rag on the VOLT (mostly political residual, in my experience) but it is an interesting and valid solution to range anxiety

There is no reason that the generator in a VOLT couldn't be diesel powered. GM has prototype mules running Voltec with diesel, and other fuels and generator types. They're ready when the market is ready....

I hope electric cars work out for lots of folks. They'll have a harder time penetrating the market out west, where our distances between cities is quite a bit larger than the metro areas of the east and left coasts. When consumer demand without tax incentives and etc. is sufficient to drive the market on its own merits, then we'll really have something I believe, but we're not there yet.

No, you're right, we're not there yet. I guess if the idea is to get "there" eventually, the market needs a bridge to incentivize the direction. Right or wrong, that's in place and the migration has started. At least it gives us options if the SHTF with any one technology, fuel, or regulation.

 

[haven]

The new BMW I3 will have primary power via an electric motor and battery pack. A "range extender" two cylinder motorcycle engine will be optional. The gasoline engine drives a generator that provides juice for the electric motor when the battery runs low. The gas engine fits in the engine compartment at the rear of the vehicle, next to the electric motor.

I understand that people who have a long commute are leery of all-electric vehicles. I wish that those people would stop shouting about how Evs will never work, and acknowledge that for the large majority of commuters, an 80 mile range is sufficient.

Since this is a thread about diesel news, let me add that Isuzu has introduced a new delivery truck powered by a 3.0L four cylinder diesel, mated to a 6 speed Aisin transmission
http://www.isuzucv.com/reachvan/index

 

[Redline]

Jetta wagon or passat? Congrats!

Thanks.

2013 Jetta SportWagen TDI

6-speed manual trans

 

[Redline]

snip...
Since this is a thread about diesel news, let me add that Isuzu has introduced a new delivery truck powered by a 3.0L four cylinder diesel, mated to a 6 speed Aisin transmission
http://www.isuzucv.com/reachvan/index

I like that.

Probably a bit too commerical/step-van looking for some, but looks pretty cool and useful to me.

The rear overhang/tail-swing looks too long, but maybe there are different versions and wheelbases.

 

[1911]

Actually, the US is building new reactors for the first time in 30 years.

http://www.newscientist.com/article...lding-first-nuclear-reactors-in-30-years.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_the_United_States#2012

-Dan

That is good news (for me anyway).

 

[4D55 Performance]

I have a 2009 Jetta TDI Sportwagen with the 6 speed manual and it has been a great vehicle. I have put 120K miles on it in the 4 years I have owned it and it has never let me down. I have only had 2 issues with the vehicle. The latch on the rear door needed to be replaced, and the switch for the cruise control needed to be replaced. Both repairs cast me about $150 each. Other than those 2 repairs I have just done normal maintenance. Recently I just replaced the shocks, struts, brakes and tires. The interior has held up well and and is the most comfortable I have ever sat in especially for long 12 hour drives to California. My main complaints about the car are rear seat legroom when the front seats are all the way back.


Another thing most are not aware of is the Jetta and the Jetta Sportwagen are two totally different cars that share a common name. The Sportwagen is a 4 door Golf/Rabbit. It has the 5 point racing rear end and handles like its on rails. The interior materials are much higher quality and are every bit as nice as my Mercedes G500. The new Jetta sedan has a solid beam rear axle to cut down on cost and make it more affordable. The interior is also much cheaper in quality of materials.

 

[SSF556]

Real world diesel news...2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD with GDE tune...you would never be able to pull these miles in a Jeep Grand Cherokee equipped with the gas engines....


Trip yesterday from SC to MI....I tracked 2 segments of the trip...both segments were 301 miles (GPS verified)....I was fully loaded with camping gear plus a car top carrier. Probably averaged about 70 mph..no traffic jams, weather etc. used cc and did not go over 2500 rpms.

1st segment: SC to Richmond, KY 301 miles divided by 12.5 gal = 24 mpg

2nd segment: Richmond, KY to Rossford, OH 301 miles divided by 12.7 gal = 23.7 mpg

Happy Happy Happy

450 miles in a 5500lb+ SUV, traveling 70 mph with lift, 32" tires, cargo top carrier is proof that we need diesels...

 

[haven]

A Car and Driver editor has driven the new Sprinter with 2.1L four cylinder diesel. The engine is paired with a 7 speed automatic. The 3.0L V6 diesel will also be available. It has 60 ft lb more than the four cylinder. The editor reports the extra torque is felt primarily above 80 mph. Since the four cylinder will be significantly less expensive than the V6, and will deliver better fuel economy, it's likely to be a popular choice. We'll see the 2.1L diesel in USA in the 2015 model year.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-mercedes-benz-sprinter-first-drive-review

 

[SSF556]

A Car and Driver editor has driven the new Sprinter with 2.1L four cylinder diesel. The engine is paired with a 7 speed automatic. The 3.0L V6 diesel will also be available. It has 60 ft lb more than the four cylinder. The editor reports the extra torque is felt primarily above 80 mph. Since the four cylinder will be significantly less expensive than the V6, and will deliver better fuel economy, it's likely to be a popular choice. We'll see the 2.1L diesel in USA in the 2015 model year.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-mercedes-benz-sprinter-first-drive-review

The same 2.1L engine powers the Mercedes GLK SUV as well.....with a rated hwy mpg of 33

 

[Regcabguy]

I have a 2009 Jetta TDI Sportwagen with the 6 speed manual and it has been a great vehicle. I have put 120K miles on it in the 4 years I have owned it and it has never let me down. I have only had 2 issues with the vehicle. The latch on the rear door needed to be replaced, and the switch for the cruise control needed to be replaced. Both repairs cast me about $150 each. Other than those 2 repairs I have just done normal maintenance. Recently I just replaced the shocks, struts, brakes and tires. The interior has held up well and and is the most comfortable I have ever sat in especially for long 12 hour drives to California. My main complaints about the car are rear seat legroom when the front seats are all the way back.


Another thing most are not aware of is the Jetta and the Jetta Sportwagen are two totally different cars that share a common name. The Sportwagen is a 4 door Golf/Rabbit. It has the 5 point racing rear end and handles like its on rails. The interior materials are much higher quality and are every bit as nice as my Mercedes G500. The new Jetta sedan has a solid beam rear axle to cut down on cost and make it more affordable. The interior is also much cheaper in quality of materials.

My VW dealer friend can't find enough Sportwagens to sell. Very popular compared to the sedan. I'm 6'4" and I just wish they'd get 'em off the ground a bit. Tough to get out of for me. Electric seats would help too. 72 months/0% interest he said including diesels. He has no dealer participation in the interest reduction. Entirely funded by VW.

 

[haven]

Fueleconomy.gov, the web site that reports the EPA's fuel mileage ratings for cars and light trucks, now has an entry for the 2014 BMW 328D: 32 mpg city, 45 highway, and 37 mpg in combined driving. The sedan is powered by a 2.0L four cylinder diesel that produces 280 ft lb of torque. The 328D has an 8 speed automatic transmission and rear wheel drive. If you want AWD, the model is called 328D XDrive, and is rated 31 city, 43 highway. A small wagon with XDrive also will be available.

BMW, like most all manufacturers these days, meets diesel emission control limits using urea injection.

The EPA web site says the 2014 320i sedan with 2.0L gasoline engine and the same 8 speed transmission is rated at 24 city, 36 highway, 28 mpg overall. So the diesel 328D gets 32% better fuel economy overall. BMW recommends premium fuel for the 320i, making the 328D an even better deal on a cents per mile basis.

BMW has not announced pricing, but most observers think the 2.0L diesel will cost about $3000 more than the 320i.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/31/2014-bmw-328d-fuel-economy/

 

[haven]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/07/diesels

Here's a background article from The Economist magazine that lists a couple of reasons why today's diesel engines are superior to those of only 5 years ago.
Thanks to forum member thairish for the link.

 

[haven]

http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/new...-volkswagen-golf-beetle-passat-and-jetta.html

Not to be overshadowed by announcements about the new 2 liter diesels coming from BMW and Mercedes, VW says that their new 2.0L four cylinder turbodiesel will arrive in USA in the second half of 2014. The engine will be used in VW and Audi vehicles, and will improve mpg by about 8 percent on the highway. The current version of VW's 2.0L diesel is EPA-rated to deliver 42 mpg, so an 8% improvement would be 45.4 mpg. The new VW diesel will use DEF injection as part of its emissions control equipment.

This new VW diesel is already available in Europe. I wonder why VW is waiting an extra year to introduce the engine in USA. This will give BMW and Mercedes a six to eight month head start. The diesel powered Chevrolet Cruze is available now, and the Mazda 6 with Skyactiv-D 2.2L diesel is coming this Fall.

 

[JDaPP]

Does the current VW TDI use DEF injection?

 

[SSF556]

Does the current VW TDI use DEF injection?

Yes....all diesel manufacturers in North America use SCR technology which requires DEF. International was the hold out until about a year ago and they recently switched to SCR and DEF using Cummins engines.