Industry News: As the Diesel Emits: Continental CEO Says Volkswagen's Diesel Mess Could End Diesel Cars In the U.S.

[William Maley]

Continental AG's CEO says the diesel scandal that Volkswagen finds itself embroiled in could kill the marketplace for diesel vehicles in China, Japan, and United States.

 

Elmar Degenhart tells German publication Boersen-Zeitung, "The diesel passenger car could sooner or later disappear from these markets."

 

Degenhart also revealed that diesel had a market share of only 1 to 3 percent in these countries. This pales in comparison to Europe where diesels make up 53 percent of the market.

 

Interestingly, the diesel scandal hasn't affected sales of diesel vehicles in Europe or the U.S. according to Continental's finance chief last month.

 

Source: Boersen-Zeitung via Reuters

View full article

[David]

I think governments such as China, Japan and the US will use this to push for Volt type auto's and long range Electrics. This equals the death of Diesel cars.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

With gasoline engines soon launching with 40% efficiency, and continued development in the works for 45% after that.....governments won't need to do anything.  It is the customer who has spoken by not wanting Diesel today, and who will again speak louder yet when that efficiency comes out in the near future.  So smooth, quiet, clean and efficient as well as torquey as well as cheaper.....will be hard to ignore.  Hybrids will benefit as well.  No need for pricier PHEV.

[Drew Dowdell]

With gasoline engines soon launching with 40% efficiency, and continued development in the works for 45% after that.....governments won't need to do anything.  It is the customer who has spoken by not wanting Diesel today, and who will again speak louder yet when that efficiency comes out in the near future.  So smooth, quiet, clean and efficient as well as torquey as well as cheaper.....will be hard to ignore.  Hybrids will benefit as well.  No need for pricier PHEV.

 

I'm not questioning this logic, but I am questioning why diesels cannot have the same or similar gains in efficiency?

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

 

With gasoline engines soon launching with 40% efficiency, and continued development in the works for 45% after that.....governments won't need to do anything.  It is the customer who has spoken by not wanting Diesel today, and who will again speak louder yet when that efficiency comes out in the near future.  So smooth, quiet, clean and efficient as well as torquey as well as cheaper.....will be hard to ignore.  Hybrids will benefit as well.  No need for pricier PHEV.

 

I'm not questioning this logic, but I am questioning why diesels cannot have the same or similar gains in efficiency?

 

 

Part of that answer has to do with the fact that gasoline is sort of becoming or borrowing from Diesel.  Specifically higher combustion pressures, higher CR's and direct injection and even boosting.  So I think there is more room to move with gas. Smarter cam development is currently being understood with all these new gasoline tuning knobs as well. And although Diesel has not yet hit a wall with it's development, it is still a dirty combustion process that needs expensive compensation to bring down to a tolerable level.  And you are still stuck with more NVH and smell and cost than gas, hence my prognostication.

 

DIesel has it's use though, for sure.

[David]

Other than trucks, towing and the commercial market, you see many people not happy with the dirty fuel of Diesel at the pump. It is a turnoff for many.

[Drew Dowdell]

 

 

With gasoline engines soon launching with 40% efficiency, and continued development in the works for 45% after that.....governments won't need to do anything.  It is the customer who has spoken by not wanting Diesel today, and who will again speak louder yet when that efficiency comes out in the near future.  So smooth, quiet, clean and efficient as well as torquey as well as cheaper.....will be hard to ignore.  Hybrids will benefit as well.  No need for pricier PHEV.

 

I'm not questioning this logic, but I am questioning why diesels cannot have the same or similar gains in efficiency?

 

 

Part of that answer has to do with the fact that gasoline is sort of becoming or borrowing from Diesel.  Specifically higher combustion pressures, higher CR's and direct injection and even boosting.  So I think there is more room to move with gas. Smarter cam development is currently being understood with all these new gasoline tuning knobs as well. And although Diesel has not yet hit a wall with it's development, it is still a dirty combustion process that needs expensive compensation to bring down to a tolerable level.  And you are still stuck with more NVH and smell and cost than gas, hence my prognostication.

 

DIesel has it's use though, for sure.

 

 

Gasoline tuning knobs?!   

[67impss]

I could see cng making those gains because of the octane rating of it being able to support the approximate 18 to 1 that in theory cng could burn at without explosion. Then again there is the matter of the 10% advantage that diesel has over gasoline. Diesel will always make more torque and with governments(all) regulations cars will continue to gain weight.

 

Alas as battery tech gets better and more are built the cost advantage that the ice powered vehicals have now will evaporate as will its marketshare