Clean Diesel is a Clear Alternative
By Todd Kaho
 The view descending the long grade from Mt. Charleston was stunning. Ahead the Pintwater and Spotted Ranges shroud the Nevada Test Site, Nellis Air Force Base practice areas, and the infamous Area 51. Crystal clear visibility brought the scenery into sharp focus even though the location was just 30 minutes from the sprawling Las Vegas city limits. I was behind the wheel of a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 sedan, powered by the new 3.0L V-6 BLUETEC diesel with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel in the tank. In the calm of that quiet, refined cabin it was obvious that clean diesel is a technology whose time has come.
We’ll feature the E320 in an upcoming issue of Green Car Journal Online, providing a more in-depth look at this dramatic example of just how far diesel technology has come. With fuel economy in the mid-thirty mpg range, a fuel capacity that allows you to travel over 700 miles between fill-ups, and performance on par with a V-8 luxury sedan, the E320 BLUETEC is a very appealing package. It currently meets 45-state BIN 8 emissions standards and once the EPA determines how urea refilling is to be handled, Mercedes is confident that 50-state BIN 5 standards are obtainable.
The mandate of low sulfur clean diesel fuel is allowing automakers to bring the latest diesel emissions technology to market in North America. Lowering the sulfur content from 500 parts-per-million to 15 ppm is so significant that industry leaders are likening it to the ‘70s mandate that removed lead from gasoline and allowed the use of catalytic converters to clean up tailpipe emissions.
One of the clear advantages of clean diesel is that it is an “alternative fuel” with a built-in infrastructure. The growth and popularity of workhorse turbodiesel engines in light-duty pickups over the past decade means finding a diesel pump is seldom an issue. Many stations have at least one diesel pump on one of the main service islands. Gone are the days of searching out a truck stop to refuel.
A 2004 EPA study estimated that if just one-third of the cars in the U.S. were diesel, we would save 1.4 million barrels of oil per day. In Europe, where petroleum prices are considerably higher, diesel is the fuel of choice. Overall, diesels account for nearly four of every 10 passenger cars purchased in Western Europe.
While attending the National Biodiesel Conference in San Diego last spring, it was obvious that the bio-bug is quite contagious. Development of biodiesel is a concern driven by the desire for energy independence worldwide. Here at home, biodiesel is poised to capitalize on the influx of diesel car introductions that should follow the availability of ULSD fuel. Biodiesel, generally blended with petroleum diesel either as B5 (5 percent biodiesel) or B20 (20 percent biodiesel), is gaining greater acceptance with vehicle manufacturers. B5 has even been used as the factory tank fill by one automaker, several extend warranty coverage for B5 fueled diesels, and B20 is undergoing extensive fleet testing.
Activity on the clean diesel front is very encouraging. Domestic manufacturers are upgrading their light-duty pickup lines to meet the more stringent emissions standards and many auto manufacturers are actively pushing diesel technology to cleaner, more efficient levels. Clean diesel has a bright future.
|
