Video: VW's Dieselution tour pollutes at AltWheels Boston
We recently wrote about the VW's DIESELUTION tour. I took the video above of the Dieselution tour's stop at AltWheels Boston 2007. IMHO, VW should have called the tour Dissolution. Don't get me wrong. I like VW. I think they are great brand and really could have surfed the green revolution wave. I am glad they are planning on making "a" hybrid soon but VW's focus on re-branding diesel as clean diesel seems a pointless, uphill battle to me.
Take their display at AltWheels. The semi truck they use in the display was idling. The VW semi could have been idling the entire show, for all I know. I am guessing they were using it to power the video displays inside. They could have been getting ready to leave however. The video is dark because it was the last booth I checked out. Why would anyone go to beautiful Boston Hall plaza, an outdoor plaza, only to go into the back of idling truck to watch videos on monitors trying to convince you diesel is really clean now?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
David Haley 3:46AM (1/31/2008)
Wow, are you really THAT ignorant. I read the first 10 posts and couldn't bare to listen to you blather on (or quasi-backpedal) anymore. I love how you tout electrical vehicles as some panacea; time to brush up on your thermodynamics brother, dU=δQ-δW. You even have the nerve to bring up the sham that is ethanol. What a bunch of sewage.
Oh well, Hubbard was right and we'll all be out of petroleum pretty soon anyway.
Reply
David Haley 3:51AM (1/31/2008)
*Hubbert...sorry, it's late
Reply
Phil L. 4:49PM (10/02/2007)
Well, let's give credit where it's due: Production automotive diesel engines now exist that rival the cleanest gasoline engines in their emissions (well, except for carbon - where diesel does far better). This could not be said just a few years ago.
Large truck idling is a separate issue that affects a number of aspects of truck transportation, and is finally being addressed on several fronts (including small auxiliary generators that support on-board living facilities without using the primary engine, and truck-stop-supplied HVAC for overnight stays).
If I had to guess, video screens in the display trailer weren't the real problem. The air conditioning (or heat, depending on the season) probably ran all day, which requires a fair amount of power. I'd like to see them find a way to hook up to the grid for such events, but it isn't always practical to set that up for a temporary show.
Still, the irony of the situation stands out. A pity someone at VW didn't recognize that up front, and take steps to fix it for such events.
Meanwhile, how about some nice clean, affordable family-friendly diesel vehicle options? I'd love a non-truck/SUV diesel vehicle with 3+ LATCH safety seat positions (Yup, I've still got 3 kids in seats).
Haven't seen one yet in the US.
For awhile, I hoped for a Bluetec Grand Caravan, but the DCX dissolution nixed that idea...
Reply
EVan 8:44PM (10/02/2007)
This article reminds me of all of the detractors who attack GM's claim of trying to be green by developing the Volt while still producing Hummer's.
Big deal.
Way to go VW and GM for working on green PRODUCTS for us to buy. Whether or not the company itself is green throughout shouldn't matter at all as long as those of us who want to be green now will have green products to buy.
While I'm at it... Al Gore is also not a liar since he lives in a big house. Hippie nit-pickers really have a way of missing the big picture.
Reply
Bill 6:38PM (10/02/2007)
Tour dates, locations:
http://media.vw.com/mini%5Fsites/64/dieselution/
Reply
greencarguy 9:03PM (10/02/2007)
It is a shame that you didn't bother to look into the Dieselution tour further, or talk with someone. While it is only a step, VW is offsetting the carbon output of the Dieselution Tour through their partner, CarbonFund.org. You also say that you were there at the end of the day, but paint with a broad brush to say that they may have been running the truck all day. If you cared about the environment so much, you could have stopped to talk with the staff about what you saw and had some questions answered, instead of jumping to conclusions.
BTW, clean diesel has comparable emissions to clean gas engines and mileage numbers of 30% better.
Reply
Lascelles Linton 9:13PM (10/02/2007)
Greencarguy, you are right. I should have talked to someone. I should have done better reporting. I wasn't going to write about it actually. There is nothing they could have said anyway. I think Die-sel sucks. VW can try to re-brand until the cows come how, it's never going to compare to hybrids or electric cars or anything. Carbon neutral. Great. How about particulate matter neutral?
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/documents/f03017.pdf
Reply
Me 9:22PM (10/02/2007)
We have a guy who is arrogant toward diesel cars no matter what...
the saddest part is that he is an blogger at autobloggreen, it would be interesting to see whether his perception of diesel cars will change with time or whether it is always be like this.
Oh btw that lupo that is in the video would be great with diesel engine for long distance travel, and a battery pack with a motor for short commuting.
Polo is really great to compete against Yaris, Fit, and Versa.
Reply
rgseidl 9:24PM (10/02/2007)
IMHO, VW USA has been struggling to hit the right notes for some time now. They need to take a more holistic look at how their target market defines "clean" these days and design all aspects of their marketing campaign around that. A poorly lit tractor-trailer with indoor displays at an outdoor event doesn't fit the bill. Neither does running the main engine to power the airco. VW could have used a stage truck instead, e.g. something like this:
http://www.vanhese.de/english/stage-truck-mobile/stage-truck.php
http://hosting.execu-tech.com/protech/Staging/StageTruck/StagelineSL100StageTruck/tabid/1367/Default.aspx
As for the technology being touted: clean diesel is far from pointless, it is in fact the best near-term fuel economy strategy for anyone who puts a lot of (highway) miles on his mid-sized or large vehicle each year. Single-mode gasoline hybrids are better only in stop-and-go traffic and the upcoming two-mode options will be very expensive. Future PHEVs and pure BEVs even more so. One size does not fit all.
Reply
rgseidl 9:59PM (10/02/2007)
@ Lascelles -
the EPA reference you provide to back up your point regarding particulate matter discusses retrofit particulate traps for buses, which achieve reductions of 60-90% in that duty cycle. The wall-flow DPF technology that is integral to the design of modern diesel LDVs is quite different and over 98% effective at eliminating PM10. In combination with ULSD, PM emissions from such vehicles are no longer the major health issue they once were. Also consider that there are many other sources of PM10 immissions besides LDV diesel engines: HDV diesels, brakes, tires, agriculture, industrial furnaces incl. power stations and home heating (especially if using wood, coal or heating oil).
T2B5 compliance adds NOx mitigation to levels considered acceptable for LDVs by both EPA and CARB. Not super-duper-hyper clean, but quite clean enough. The issue, then, is one of balancing the need for clean air against that for enhanced energy security/reduced CO2 emissions. Among other things, that means looking at US refinery capacity for both gasoline and diesel, as well as biofuel alternatives to both. Perhaps the picture is a little more complicated than Toyota's advertising has apparently led you to believe.
There are many people in the US who like yourself are biased against diesel and in favor of electric hybrids based on limited knowledge of the state of the art. If a number of European auto manufacturers were the only ones impacted by this, you'd be perfectly entitled to not care. However, the people who pay the price for not having access to the full range of efficient transportation technologies are US consumers - including your readers, whose wallet takes a hit every time they fill up.
Reply
Lascelles Linton 10:51PM (10/02/2007)
You are all right. Diesel is getting better and that's a good thing. I don't think it's pointless. I think the campaign is pointless. It's not going to change anyone's mind. Does anyone reading this honestly think even 10 years from now, someone will actually go to buy a Diesel car because it's clean and everyone will think it's the cleaner option over ethanol, hybrids, etc? I guess it's possible but what's so hard about sticking a $1,000 mild hybrid system into your car like GM? I bet a clean diesel ad budget pays for a simple electric engine addition research budget easily.
Reply
Ralph 1:46AM (10/03/2007)
Hmmm, I believe that our Autocargreen blogger here is quite incorrect about the modern diesel and its future. A large percentage of passenger cars in Europe are diesels and I believe that they will become much more prevalent in the USA in the next few years. Today's diesel cars are quite clean and have around 30% better gas mileage than similar gasoline powered cars. Less maintenance and generally longer engine life, too. I know I'll be looking at diesel offerings from VW & Audi when they arrive here.
Reply
Matt 2:23AM (10/03/2007)
To the OP: do you get turned on by the words "Tier 2 Bin 5"? No, neither do I. That's why they are pushing the "clean diesel" image. Because they can't just come out and say "Look, our diesel engines pass the same emissions as gasoline engines!" It's not sexy and no one really cares. Now, a clean diesel, that can be marketed.
I believe (bio)diesel is the best short-term solution that we've got. It already runs on any new(ish) diesel engine without any modification, it's produced domestically, and it's diesel, which has a higher energy density than gasoline ( and thus ethanol, too). Sure, the advertising campaign for this shindig probably cost what, $30,000 for the truck lease, $150,000 for the employees for however long the tour lasts, the cars: $100,000, double that for a good fudge-factor and we get $500,000. The engineering program to slap together a $1,000 mild-hybrid system on a car is probably going to run $2M - $3M or so, at least, just in engineering costs, let alone marketing, sales coordination and all that other stuff. And really, do you think a mild-hybrid could push fuel economy to 50mpg? It's doubtful.
Like a commenter said, about half of all new cars sold in Europe are diesel. They've also had diesels a whole lot longer than us, but they didn't have that knee-jerk reaction to the crappy, crappy diesel offerings that the Detroit-Three brought the U.S. in the 70's. That's what everyone remembers about diesels and it leaves a lasting stigma.
Volkswagen is just trying to change the minds of the people left with that stigma. Apparently you're one of them.
I believe one of the problems about being a blogger for such a forward-thinking movement is that one has to embrace solutions and progress that may not be one's most favored solution, but you have to admit, bringing a "clean diesel" is certainly way better than what we've got now.
Reply
Zerk 9:22AM (10/03/2007)
Contact Lascelles @ info@lascelleslinton.com
After reading comment #5 it is clear that Lascelles is the leader of the Ignorance Project.
This type of unbalanced bias discredits AutoblogGreen.
Reply
Mike 9:36AM (10/03/2007)
Lascelles: I don't care, I'm going to buy a diesel car anyway.
Reply
Lascelles Linton 9:47AM (10/03/2007)
Zerk, It's probably better to contact my editor if you think what I am writing is false. There is a contact form for corrections, problems, tips, etc. below the resources heading on every page. I personally think I am only stating opinion but if you don't agree I would be happy to expand?
Matt, Yes, that one stop of that entire tour would not pay for the development costs of a simple hybrid system. I meant VW's entire clean diesel ad budget. You say 2 M for the development cost. I am sure they have spent at least that on the clean diesel advertising already. Would it bring a car to 50 MPG? No. I never said it would. What about advertising? Toyota never really advertised the Prius. I repeat, I could be wrong. Years from now, everyone could think diesel is the cleanest car you can buy. Things change. People started eating meat to diet recently for example. I cannot predict the future, I am just telling you what I think.
Reply
EEGeek 9:48AM (10/03/2007)
To Lascelle's comment that the tour is pointless - I disagree. It is very pointed. Most all of the tour dates are in MA, NY, and CA, with a few in IL and AZ, an obligatory stop to schmooze Canadian VIPs, and of course Vegas, baby.
Most of the stops are in CARB states, in case you missed it. Places where VW has not been able to sell new diesels for a long time. I think the real point of the tour is to get local TV news exposure that will let the clueless masses know that there's another high-mileage option that's not a Prius. And it may very well change some minds about diesel - who knows?
The tour, with the carbon offsets and all that jazz are pure marketing. The point is exposure, mostly in CA, and it will likely get some. You don't have to like diesels to understand that.
Reply
Lascelles Linton 10:08AM (10/03/2007)
EEGeek, You are right. I have seen research that say that kind of advertising has a better return than say one TV commercial which in some time slots pay for the entire commercial. The goal of the ad is pointless. They made some mistakes. IMHO, the greens don't really care about CO2. They don't care about fuel efficiency. I think the greens care about something that's cleaner and getting away from oil. I think Greens support hybrids because it's close all electric. McCain said it best, if we happen to get all this global warming stuff wrong, all you did was force cars to be a little cleaner. What's so wrong with that? Smog is almost an accepted fact of life but that's the real reason a lot of greens are supporting emissions control. Not CO2. Diesel can reduce a hand full of chemical emissions but, read the pdf, cost to reduce particulate is very high. The end game for Diesel is Diesel. The next Prius goes 40 miles and 60 MPH in all electric. It's an electric car.
Reply
Pete 10:23AM (10/03/2007)
This guy doesn't know what he's talking about.
First off I'm in automotive advertising and I have a tiny budget to push our future diesel projects. Secondly, the engineers that I am in contact with on a daily basis certainly believe in clean diesel technology.
I really am curious as to what substantiation you have for calling the new ULSD dirty?
Reply
Lascelles Linton 10:36AM (10/03/2007)
Pete, You are a single person. I am talking about the company's entire budget for clean diesel ads. I have not looked at VW's balance sheet but it's probably over 1 M total to date. I say it again, CO2 really does not matter. The video includes low CO2 on the side of a car. I would not buy a car because it emits low CO2. I emit CO2. I am okay. Who cares? I repeat, PARTICULATE MATTER! When they say as clean as gas, they are talking about specific chemicals. There are many things they are NOT changing. It's the same thing with clean coal. Those ads are probably older than clean diesel stuff. Does anyone here think coal is the cleanest energy option? Of course not. Again, it really comes down to smog and future development. Diesel has no future when compared with zero emissions of electrics or the lower emissions of ethanol. Sure, it might catch up or even surpass gas but that's what's everyone is trying to get away from.
Reply