65 MPG cars and reality...

[rdamurphy]

Yep, Ford is making a car that gets 65 MPG - shoot, I'd even buy one - BUT - they can't sell them in the US.

Read why:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm?chan=rss_topStories_ssi_5

This is called "The Law of Unintended Consequences..."

Robert

[rpicardi1]

It's the same nonsense why there isn't a 40mph Ranger pickup available here. They have then in Europe.

[jtr1962]

It's a shame more Americans don't know the reality of low-sulphur diesel. NYC has been using it for its non-LNG buses for the last few years. Far less smell and soot compared to regular diesel. And all diesel engines have the added advantage of being about to run on biodiesel made from discarded cooking oil.

Although I'm personally more a fan of EVs, I'd much rather see a vehicle like this than the typical inefficient gasoline-powered SUVs made by Detroit. Diesels can be ~30% efficient converting energy into work at the crankshaft compared to about 15% for gas engines.

[mjs2101]

When watching car commercials in the US today, how in the world can people get excited over a car that can get an estimated 30 gpm, when cars in Europe are getting almost twice that amount! I could be mistaken, but didn't the Ford Model T get close to 20 miles per gallon, and that was 100 years ago! How is that for progress. :)

Mykel

[Kenny1234]

US automaker labor rates and legacy costs are too high for EVs to be profitably built by the existing companies. They cannot turn a profit on vehicles designed around simple metal bending and little else. Current generation hybrids like the Prius actually needs the engineering hurdles of its dual power sources in order to raise its complexity enough to warrant the price tag that makes it profitable. If production EVs ever come to this country, they wont have a GM, Ford, or Chrysler medallion on them.

[USRailFan]

AFAIK there has only been one electric car sold in large numbers in the USA, and that was made in Norway...

[rdamurphy]

The problem with the Holy Toyota Prius, that no one quite wants to admit to is the fact that the battery will "expire" between 40,000 and 60,000 miles, which will require a replacement, at the cost of approximately $3000 and the disposal of an over 70 pound chunk of hazardous material.

Not to mention the fact that no one knows - yet - how dangerous that thing can be in a major collision if it explodes, or leaks. Or what the possible dangers are of that over 200 volts sitting under your rear end!

Add in a curb weight of almost 3000 pounds (almost 3500 pounds for the Chevy Volt!!!), and you'll get an idea of how long your tires are going to last...

Robert

[PatPut99]

Diesel really is something that should be looked into by the car companies here for more than just big trucks. This past spring we purchased an 06 F250 diesel, to replace our 03 F250 gas. The old F250 got about 12 MPG, while the new gets 18. Even when we are towing we still get around 14 MPG. We average about 5 cents a mile better.

[rdamurphy]

It's not the car companies. It's the EPA.

Robert

[Jim Prower]

A lot of times those figures are to a British standard, which makes them a bit higher than the SAE standards currently used. But, yes, there's a good point, here: people are buying into the Hybrid lie and getting nowhere. Diesel models just don't move as well here, save for Volkswagen, who does sell a decent few TDi models, primarily due to the reliability of the old Rabbit Diesel. I'm also certain some people remember the disastrous GM diesels of the early '80s.

The other problem is that those figures are stick-shift only. Automatics could see a slight drop, but most of Europe drives Stick, while Americans won't let go of their interstate-running Hydramatic.

Now, don't despair completely...we ARE getting gasoline versions of that exact Fiesta. It'll slot in below the Focus (Which will be moving upmarket for it's next generation) and will provide a sporty small car for Ford to sell. They need it.

[rpicardi1]

The European imports of the small car luxury models were using high quality small diesels long before the GM converted gas engine disaster that was caused by by their top man over ruling and then firing their head engineer when that engineer told them it wouldn't work as a production conversion. That imported model got good mileage and had plenty of torque to pull a travel trailer.

The converted 5.7 was a disaster in Cadillac. The 6.2 liter wasn't much better. Drive shaft fell off, two blown heads, transmission failures, no torque, burned out glow plugs, a battery mounted under the driver seat frame directly exposed to road slop, fried starter motor, burned out starter solenoid, The panel van had the most problems. The truck barely had enough power to pull a trailer let alone a camper. And, the mileage was awful. Both trucks smoked badly under load and were very noisy at highway speed due to the motors running at much higher rpm then is the norm for a diesel.

[USRailFan]

You'd think that if anyone knew how to do diesel, it'd be GM...

[rpicardi1]

You'd think that if anyone knew how to do diesel, it'd be GM...

Actually, it is the Germans. They built the first lightweight diesels that powered their Zeppelins airships. Their high speed marine diesels powered torpedo boats were far superior to our gas engine powered PT boats. And the current VW diesel powered rabbit has plenty of zip and great mileage even at freeway speeds.

You can even purchase diesel powered lawn tractors that are economical to use and last almost forever. Naturally, they are also imports.

The domestic diesels, Cummings, Detroit Diesel, and International are best known for their medium and heavy truck engines, and larger construction equipment engines. All designed for extended continuous service in all kinds of weather.

Diesels are available that run on natural gas, think self contained home generators, to heavy crude, think 50,000 hp models that power large ships.

GM has been so busy pushing gas guzzlers that their executives never bothered to research fuel efficient diesels that can exceed current clean air standards.

Now, if the car companies really wanted to design something for the future, they should be working on the modular concept car, one that can be easily customized at a dealership, quickly repaired, and upgraded as technology permits.

If they don't get off their disposable car technology soon, the overseas competitors will soon have all of the domestic market.

[rdamurphy]

Actually, Mercedes has a new Class 8 HD diesel on the market, although it's marketed as a Detroit:

http://www.detroitdiesel.com/DetroitDiesel/engines/mbe4000/

Having driven these, it's like night and day. They will rip the doors off of a Cummins or Cat any day of the week, with less horsepower and RPM's. Awesome low end torque response...

Robert