Yet another report on the end for Diesel

Cupie · Guru

Yet another report on the end for Diesel

MikeL · Veteran Member

Interesting article but as far as Utes and bigger go, Diesel is still an excellent option providing far higher torque than an equivalent sized petrol engine. Ultimately, electric will be the only option for all urban vehicles but for longer distances diesel is still (IMHO) the best option. Interestingly, the article quotes higher service costs but I'm not sure if this is borne out in fact - I have always found that the Diesel vehicles I've had go longer distances between major services and that the interim services are about the same cost as for petrol? If you look at modern petrol cars, many of them are fuel injected, turbo/supercharger etc and so are just as complex if not more so than a diesel.

The other advantage is length of life - I once considered the purchase of a Merc diesel estate and consulted a friend who was a lifelong Merc owner. I was concerned about the 200K+ miles it had on the clock and my mate laughed and told me that it was barely run in and that Merc diesels regularly went over 300k miles before a major service. He pointed out that most european taxis at the time were Merc diesels due to low running and maintenance costs and said that taxi companies did their homework and picked the most economical vehicle to run when all factors were considered.

Once you greatly reduce the amount of petrol vehicles on the road, the emissions of the relatively few diesel vehicles left will become irrelevant.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

You still have a % if diesel in process.

Eaglemax · Guru

there is the other issue for non towing cars and that's electric power. If you are considering buying a new car eg we are in the form of a Mazda Cx3) and it might, hopefully be our last new car (I'm 62yo so it will be a run around car meaning low kms) then the possibility that in 15 years the govt in their wisdom might change the goal posts and we are left with a car with high running costs and worthless.

Then again "worry" only causes ulcers

Dave1952 · Senior Member

Just so long as you do not lash out and buy a Tesla, Eaglemax. They seem to have an alarming habit of catching fire.

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:30 PM

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:57 PM

moamajohn · Guru

Yet another effort by someone to put print to paper for reasons ...Well I don,t know !

T1 Terry · Guru

Dave1952 wrote:
Just so long as you do not lash out and buy a Tesla, Eaglemax. They seem to have an alarming habit of catching fire.

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:30 PM

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:57 PM

Do you have an example you would like to put up against the reports of both diesel and petrol powered vehicle fires? I doubt the Tesla fires would be enough to cook the egg on your face when compared to a diesel fire wink

T1 Terry

Eaglemax · Guru

Dave1952 wrote:
Just so long as you do not lash out and buy a Tesla, Eaglemax. They seem to have an alarming habit of catching fire.

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:30 PM

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:57 PM

No Dave, they're too costly anyway. Was thinking of how many cars now are headed for hybrid....petrol/electricity and if I purchase soon will I have regrets? Anyway this link also tells the same risk

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-08/hydrogen-fuel-breakthrough-csiro-game-changer-export-potential/10082514

Tony

Cupie · Guru

T1 Terry wrote:
Dave1952 wrote:
Just so long as you do not lash out and buy a Tesla, Eaglemax. They seem to have an alarming habit of catching fire.

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:30 PM

-- Edited by Dave1952 on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:32:57 PM
Do you have an example you would like to put up against the reports of both diesel and petrol powered vehicle fires? I doubt the Tesla fires would be enough to cook the egg on your face when compared to a diesel fire

T1 Terry

No idea of the relative rates or severity of fires involving various vehicle types but this page relates to a few Tesla vehicle fires.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/05/11/a-list-of-tesla-car-fires-since-2013/

Here's another about a Tesla car fire & the issues for firefighters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3RNISfwa4E

But then there's this statistic ...

"U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 152,300 automobile fires per year in 2006-2010. These fires caused an average of 209 civilian deaths, 764 civilian injuries, and $536 million in direct property damage."

T1 Terry · Guru

The one at a Supercharger station is a worry, but with the batteries under the floor and the model S motor and controller where the rear diff would be in a normal car the photos of an under bonnet fire says it wasn't a battery fire or a motor fire, so a wiring problem as the result of a crash maybe? Still, considering those recorded are world wide it wasn't very many compared to other fuel type vehicles.

T1 Terry