Why Diesel?

Today's Diesel Engine Advantages

1. Diesel is the most efficient internal combustion engine.
2. Diesel engines last longer.
3. They can run on biodiesel with no modifications
4. Diesel is fast and powerful. A diesel won the 2006 Le Mans.
5. They are getting lighter. Over a dozen Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) now build aluminum diesel engines.
6. Diesel has a higher 13% higher energy density over gasoline.

Remaining Problems

1. Diesel engines tend to be more expensive.
2. Diesel fuel is less readily available than gasoline.
3. Higher NOx and particulate matter emissions.

Used-to-be problems associated with diesel engines

1. Diesel engines are harder to start in cold weather, and if they contain glow plugs, diesel engines can require you to wait before starting the engine so the glow plugs can heat up.
2. Diesel engines are much noisier and tend to vibrate.
3. Diesel engines tend to produce more smoke and "smell funny."
4. Diesel engines, because they have much higher compression ratios (20:1 for a typical diesel vs. 8:1 for a typical gasoline engine), tend to be heavier than an equivalent gasoline engine.
5. Diesel engines, because of the weight and compression ratio, tend to have lower maximum RPM ranges than gasoline engines. This makes diesel engines high torque rather than high horsepower, and that tends to make diesel cars slower in terms of acceleration.