Trickle-Down With all the news articles around about diesel's spike in cost, a recurring theme seems to be that even though your average joe is enjoying the reduction in gasoline prices, they are going to get bitten in the butt by the time the holidays roll around. All of our precious consumables, of course, are shipped around the country almost exclusively by trucks, and these trucks are powered almost exclusively by diesel fuel. A jump in the price of diesel fuel but not gasoline might at first seem like a vindication of those who prefer gas cars and light trucks, because they're paying less at the pump. But you must remember the bigger picture.

For the sake of argument, we'll say diesel costs $1 more per gallon. And we'll say that gas costs $2.50, making diesel $3.50. That means that gas costs 28% less than diesel. It has been shown in many different places that diesel engines are on average about 30% more efficient than gasoline engines. So, the $1 premium is essentially aligning the two technologies in terms of "bang for your buck". Your V10 F350 will likely still cost more per mile than your neighbor's powerstroke excursion. Just not as much more.

Also, this is a unique set of circumstances that I believe represents something close to the end of the spectrum. It's fall, meaning heating oil production takes precedence as cited in one of the articles I link to on this page, and there have been a lot of hurricanes lately, which crippled oil production in the gulf. From what I can tell, the price gap cannot get much wider than it is right now. So, even in the worst-case scenario, buying a diesel vehicle does not mean sacrificing cost-effectiveness. This, I believe, isn't even the best selling point for the technology.

After all, regardless of what's going on in the Gulf, your local McDonalds will still be throwing away waste oil that you could throw in your 2005 Jetta TDI and drive for pennies on the dollar.

But getting back to my original point, those people that are snickering at diesel owners won't be snickering all the way to the toy store, because their kids' favorite Micro machine still got to the store in a Freightliner.  ¶ Posted By james 6:40 PM 0 comments

  VietNam News - Hai Phong firm creates diesel oil out of garbage VietNam News: "According to director Vu Duc Hoa, before being converted into diesel oil, the materials must be carefully selected and then distilled at a high temperature. Around one tonne of materials and 200kg of used machine oil and other additives are needed in order to produce one tonne of diesel oil"  ¶ Posted By james 6:22 PM 0 comments

  As gas prices drop, diesel skyrockets - 10/25/05 As gas prices drop, diesel skyrockets - 10/25/05: "Historically, diesel prices rise in the fall/winter as refiners shift to making more heating oil and less diesel. This continues even as gasoline prices come down."

This article seems to offer reasons for diesel's price, but they aren't very insightful.  ¶ Posted By james 6:19 PM 0 comments

  Inside Line: Honda Plans Diesel Engine and 65-mpg Hybrid for U.S. - Inside Line: Honda Plans Diesel Engine and 65-mpg Hybrid for U.S. -: "Honda is working on so-called homogeneous-charge compression-ignition or HCCI engines. These power plants ignite the air-gasoline mixture by compressing it, as a diesel does, rather than using a spark plug — but at lower temperatures. The company says it expects to show a prototype four-cylinder HCCI system as early as next year."  ¶ Posted By james 6:14 PM 0 comments

  Today's Trucking: Sleeper trucks now banned from idling in California Today's Trucking: The Online Business Resource for Canada's Trucking Industry: "The first part of the rule regulates new 2008 and subsequent model year heavy-duty diesel engines, requiring them to be equipped with a non-programmable engine shutdown system that automatically shuts down the engine after five minutes of continuous idling."

Bastards!  ¶ Posted By james 6:06 PM 0 comments

  DailyBulletin.com - Opinions DailyBulletin.com - Opinions: "Diesel buses have been a significant source of one the worst air- pollution problems, exhaust fumes containing microscopic particles that can cause cancer."

I don't know, I think that killing off some Californians is just what our environment needs.  ¶ Posted By james 6:04 PM 0 comments

  Posters? So, does anyone I know want to post here? If you do I'm down. I realize that I have to look pretty hard to find interesting news in this niche, so maybe if there were others it would make for more content. But I don't know. Let me know.  ¶ Posted By james 2:53 AM 0 comments

  Off the map I have been lax in updates since I was in Denver for the week. Denver is a nice place, and there is a surprising preponderance of Dodge RAM pickups with the Cummins 6-cylinder diesel, and for that matter diesel vehicles in general. I suspect it is due to the fact that they have real mountains there, where torque and a good turbo are the only things that'll get you to the top. We went for a drive up to Loveland pass, and were getting passed by Cummins Rams and Ford Powerstrokes all the way, some even with large loads in tow.  ¶ Posted By james 2:46 AM 0 comments

  Diesel prices end week with new record, gas prices dip - Oct. 7, 2005 Diesel prices end week with new record, gas prices dip - Oct. 7, 2005: "Gas prices retreated a touch lower Friday while diesel closed the week by setting another record at the pump as many Gulf Coast refineries still remain closed and demand for gasoline slowed."

D'oh!  ¶ Posted By james 11:44 AM 5 comments

  Wired News: Diesel Hybrids on the Fast Track Wired News: Diesel Hybrids on the Fast Track: "Hybrid gas-electric vehicles are the current champions of fuel economy, but they may soon get lapped. Auto manufacturers are making tracks to produce diesel hybrids that will go even further on a gallon of fuel."

"DaimlerChrysler produced 100 Dodge Ram hybrid electric vehicle diesel pickup trucks in December, according to spokesman Cole Quinnell. Most of them were sold before they were manufactured, according to Quinnell."  ¶ Posted By james 11:32 AM 0 comments