BMW diesel cars in U.S. by 2008
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Reports from the British International Motor Show, which starts tomorrow, revealed BMW plans to have diesel-powered cars available in the U.S. by 2008. The company plans to use a urea-based additive system to meet the strict U.S emissions standards. The system will make the cars available in all 50 states. The BMW decision follows an increased interest in diesel cars in the U.S. market, with a 95% increase in light duty diesel registrations from 2000 to 2005. Clearly, the European manufacturers have the edge when it comes to diesel engine technology, with a large number of production-ready products already available across the old continent. Just look at one the cars on offer in Europe: a 5 Series with the smallest available diesel engine achieves a U.S. fuel economy of 39.9 mpg, with respectable acceleration times, for example. You can sign me up for one of those right now. [Source: Just-Auto]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
STEVE 10:41AM (6/25/2008)
I will be glad someone brings in a good diesel. I drive a pickup with a diesel and get 19mpg and that's not bad! I would buy a diesel car as soonas they get to the US!!
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Loa 8:40AM (7/20/2006)
The US is more open to diesel than two or three years ago.
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Howard Lee Harkness 9:46AM (7/20/2006)
Diesel (especially "light duty") has one major downside when used in an automobile: its efficiency varies a lot depending on RPM and load (and variable RPM/load increases wear and tear and required maintenance). I like the solution proposed by the folks in California (http://www.autoblog.com/2006/01/18/a-330-mpg-car-for-everyone/), where a small diesel can be run at constant RPM and constant load, with any excess output converted to electricity and stored in a supercapacitor, to be used by an electric motor when demand exceeds the power level that the diesel produces. Looks to me like that would combine the best of both technologies -- without the expense, weight, and maintenance requirements of batteries.
I don't know for sure yet if the Aptera is for real, since the company does not appear to be interested in answering emails. They could be too busy doing other things, or they could be swamped in email, or they could have an overly aggressive spam filter, or they just might not consider my inquiry worth acknowledging. Despite that, the diesel-supercap hybrid combo is the best idea I've seen so far, and I wouldn't mind having a small pickup truck with that type of powerplant. I am mature enough that I don't feel the need to burn rubber, so the powerplant doesn't have to put out more than 60-80 hp, as long as it can go fast enough to get on the freeway.
It appears to me, however, that if I'm going to get any such thing anytime soon, I'm going to have to build it myself. Since I don't have the resources (or the inclination), that's not going to happen, so I am resigned to reading about new stuff that is all talk and no delivery.
The only things that seem to be getting actually built are the dumb ethanol cars, the even dumber battery cars, and the downright stupid hydrogen cars.
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Bruno Vanzieleghem 10:05AM (7/20/2006)
While the diesel engine's efficiency varies with load and rpm, it doesn't vary nearly as much as a gasoline engine. Gasoline engines vary load by throtteling, a very inefficient process.
What you are proposing, a series hybrid that uses ultra-capacitors instead of batteries is being pursued actively by a few companies, but the technology is probably not mature enough for mass production, and ultra-cap costs are not for everyone's budget. Some information on an ultra-cap design for a bus can be found here:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/04/26/ultra-capacitors-making-electric-hybrids-more-efficient/
There's also the AFS Trinity, which is a passenger car concept. The specs are still pretty vague on this one.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/05/05/full-assist-or-mild-extreme/
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MikeW 7:17AM (7/21/2006)
throttling (by a plate) is so last century, do it at the valves.
BMW kicked it off with Valvetronic half a decade ago, and nissan has a lift scaling system too.
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/TECHNOLOGY/INTRODUCTION/DETAILS/VEL/index.html
All hail BMW 535.
New gasoline engines have a great peak minimum BSFC curve.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/photos.cfm/photoid/3060316.002/pageview/photo/photo/1027/size/large/country/jcf/lexus/lexus-rx-350
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Schneegz 10:08AM (7/21/2006)
Howard Lee Harkness Wrote, "Diesel (especially "light duty") has one major downside when used in an automobile: its efficiency varies a lot depending on RPM and load (and variable RPM/load increases wear and tear and required maintenance)."
The same is true of any internal combustion engine. The simplest, and least expensive way to counter that weakness is a continuously variable transmission.
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greenguy 1:25PM (7/21/2006)
I am glad to hear that!
If BMW starts importing their diesel machines, Americans will discover what a world class automotive diesel engine is. The Japanese should start to be worried. Though they are good, they don't compete with Germans when it comes to Diesel cars. The only one I see doing better is Honda (the EU 2.2iCDTi is awesome). I would like to see them fighting for diesel in the US! :-)
I do have a request for BMW USA. Please bring the 535d over. The engine on that car is a masterpiece. 3L, twin turbo, more torque than the M5 (no joke), faster than the 550i on the Ring, the fuel consumption of a little V6...this is serious!!
I was following a 535d with my GolfIV 130Tdi just before coming to the States. I couldn't believe it. :-)
BTW, the VW TDi 130 and 150 are brilliant. Not available in the US unfortunately... :-(
And if BMW is coming...Audi and the other are following. Audi A8 4.0L TDI, E400 CDI, etc... Killer machines...
Round one, fight! Germans: 1 - The others: 0
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