Answer: A diesel-electric hybrid using 100% biodiesel. Unfortunately, I don't know of any diesel-electric hybrid cars on the market, and biodiesel isn't readily available. BAE SYSTEMS does make diesel electric buses for New York City.
Biodiesel Retailer Map
Hybrid Buses
I recently found out UNH has a biodiesel group, and they have a comparison between several different cars. They compare cost per mile (strictly fuel cost), and fossil energy input per mile (again strictly looking at the fuel) for six different cars; a Jetta TDI on biodiesel, a Jetta TDI on petrodiesel, a Jetta 2.0L on regular gasoline, a Toyota Prius Hybrid, a Honda Fuel Cell vehicle (hydrogen), and a Dodge ESX3 diesel hybrid. The diesel hybrid was the cheapest to operate per mile at 3 cents per mile followed by the Prius at 3.5 cents/mile, the Jetta TDI on petrodiesel at 4 cents per mile, the biodiesel Jetta at 4.7 cents/mile, the gas Jetta at 6.2 cents/mile, and last the fuel cell at 19 cents/mile. The price of fuel used for the comparison is outdated, but I don't think the order would change much with updated fuel costs.
As far as fossil fuel use, the diesel hybrid (using 100% biodiesel of course) was the clear winner again, using only 0.55 BTUs of fossil energy per mile. The runner up was the Jetta TDI on biodiesel at .89, then the fuel cell car at 2.4, the Prius at 3.4, the petrol diesel Jetta at 3.7, and the gas Jetta at 6.0. The energy balance data for biodiesel used in the calculation seems a little optimistic, but biodiesel would be the clear winner regardless - unless the hydrogen for the fuel cell car is obtained from renewable sources. The hydrogen was assumed to come from natural gas.
The UNH Biodiesel group also has a great introductory presentation on biodiesel.
Car Comparison
Biodiesel Presentation
UNH Biodiesel Main Site
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Also, keep in mind that test was done with out-dated TDI technology. VW can not import their high end diesel engines until the US gov't lowers the sulfur content of our diesel gas (supposedly 2007). VW has a concept diesel sports car that gets 100 mi/gallon and can do 0-60 in about 5 seconds. I don't think anyone makes hybrid sports cars.
The diesel hybrid busses in NYC were cool. It's a good application of the technology and at the same time a big surprise as passenger diesel cars cannot be sold new in NY (or MA, CA, VT and either CT or RI).
You can’t honestly expect many fuel efficient diesel cars in the states until the manufacturers are allowed to sell them to our biggest auto markets. Despite this barrier one quarter of all Vdubs sold in the states last year were TDIs. Pretty impressive considering the new Jetta didn’t have a TDI until June / July (and its engine is too sub spec to be offered in Europe on either the mk V golf or jetta) and the new Passat will not have a TDI until fuel quality / emissions regs change.
Also, don’t be surprised if the first passenger diesel hybrid on the market is VW. The Germans love their diesel the high end motors in eurospec Audi, BMW and Mercedes are all diesels.
Check this out. A concept diesel hybrid with 330 mpg and a target sub 20k price tag. It looks like it came from outer space.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=108992
Interstlingly Audi has had a mas production hybrid since 1997, but haven't brought the tech to the States. http://www.audi.com/audi/com/en1/company/company_perspective/Design/studio/q7_hybrid_concept/hybrid_history.html
I hear that we can expect it in the Q7, and the Porsche Cayenne. (I don't know why the Taureg is off that list).
What do you thin of this method of evaluating hybrid performance. http://www.automotive.tno.nl/VM/EST/publicaties/paper%20EVS-17%20AUDI%20Duo.pdf
If you want a diesel hybrid, you should find a way to import a duo. You can convert it to biodiesesl as easily as a jetta.
Post a Comment