Hybrid Durango- WHY?

[Raghavan]

Got it.  Every little bit helps- that tahoe probably weighs too much to just run it off batteries.  

But tbe extra cost isn't worth the savings though. That's why the Accord hybrid flopped.

[MX793]

I'm wondering what about the fast food grease diesel?  Don't we make enough of that shit everyday to more than make enough diesel for SUV's?  ;How hard is it to make it usable in cars?

It's not a commercially available fuel, so carmakers don't build vehicles to run on it.  Carmakers need to make vehicles that meet emissions regs on the fuels that are commercially available in the US market.

[rohan]

A mild hybrid, like the Honda Civic Hybrid or the "performance" hybrids, uses an electric motor to supplement the gas motor in acceleration. In the Civic, this lets it get away with having a smaller gas engine than the conventional version (1.3-liter vs 1.8 liter) without losing much power, and in the performance hybrids that use the same size engine as a mainstream version, this lets acceleration increase without hurting gas mileage.

A full hybrid, like the Prius or Ford Escape, can run electric-only at low speeds, rather than just using the electric motor to provide a bit of an extra boost sometimes.

Good explenation. 

[CALL_911]

I think that's only been done with VW diesels, but I may be wrong.

Older Mercedes diesels too, but yeah, mostly VW ones.

[rohan]

It's not a commercially available fuel, so carmakers don't build vehicles to run on it.  Carmakers need to make vehicles that meet emissions regs on the fuels that are commercially available in the US market.

But doesn't the grease burn almost or compeltely clean?  I mean if that's the case how hard would it be to make it work and build engines for it?  I'm not trying to sound stupid I just don't get it- we hav technology to make us way less reliant on oil but we're not taking any advantage of it?

[Raghavan]

Older Mercedes diesels too, but yeah, mostly VW ones.

And Ford powerstrokes too.

[MX793]

Ok- so I know enough about this to know that the gasoline gives more blah blah blah to make more of it's energy- but wouldn't using vegetable oil be better than using gas all the way aroud-and wouldn't it be alot cheaper too?  I mean it shoul dnever run out right?

I don't know if the US has enough farming capacity to grow enough to both feed the population and provide a fuel source.  And if we did, you can count on the cost of produce going up as a large chunk of farming capacity went to fuel production.  So instead of seeing the price hikes at the pump, you'll see them at the grocery store instead.

[rohan]

I don't know if the US has enough farming capacity to grow enough to both feed the population and provide a fuel source.  And if we did, you can count on the cost of produce going up as a large chunk of farming capacity went to fuel production.  So instead of seeing the price hikes at the pump, you'll see them at the grocery store instead.

So explain to me why prices would go up at the stores if we're using McDonalds and Burger King oils? 

[MX793]

But doesn't the grease burn almost or compeltely clean?  I mean if that's the case how hard would it be to make it work and build engines for it?  I'm not trying to sound stupid I just don't get it- we hav technology to make us way less reliant on oil but we're not taking any advantage of it?

Define "clean".  Vegetable oil is still a hydrocarbon fuel and still produces CO2 as a product of combustion.

And it's not hard at all to make an engine run on vegetable oil.  The problem lies in that vegetable oil is not currently considered a fuel source.  You can't roll up to your local gas station and get it out of the pumps there.  The first step is recognizing it as a fuel and making it commercially available as such over a fairly wide region.  You need an infrastructure.  Once the infrastructure is there, then manufacturers will start making vehicles that can run on it out of the box.

Of course, it's not nearly that simple.  There are many many variables that come into play.  Energy cost balance, impact on other industries, the aforementioned agricultural capacity issues...  I'm not really an expert on the matter, so I doubt I've even skimmed the surface.

[Tave]

The only thing I don't like about diesels is that most gas stations don't sell it. That would be the only reason I wouldn't get a diesel.

Are you high? I've never seen a gas station in America that doesn't sell diesel.

[ifcar]

Are you high? I've never seen a gas station in America that doesn't sell diesel.

Really? Are you in a more rural or generally truck-dense area?

[MX793]

So explain to me why prices would go up at the stores if we're using McDonalds and Burger King oils? 

Do you really think waste grease from restaurants is significant enough in quantity to replace gasoline, or even just diesel fuel, entirely in this country?  Far from it.  Based on what I've read, annual cooking grease/oil consumption in this country is only about 5% of the fuel consumption.

[MX793]

Really? Are you in a more rural or generally truck-dense area?

I live in a pretty rural area and I'd say only 2/3 of the stations have diesel, and those that offer it only have one or two pumps versus a minimum of 8 for gasoline.

[Raghavan]

Are you high? I've never seen a gas station in America that doesn't sell diesel.

Maybe because you live out in the middle of nowhere. There are 4-5 gas stations near my house that doesn't sell diesel, and I don't want to go out of my way to fill up the car.

[ifcar]

I live in a pretty rural area and I'd say only 2/3 of the stations have diesel, and those that offer it only have one or two pumps versus a minimum of 8 for gasoline.

I'd say maybe 1/3 do in suburban MD, if that, and I almost never see a station anywhere with lots of diesel pumps that wasn't a truck stop.

[Tave]

Really? Are you in a more rural or generally truck-dense area?

Does it matter?

I've never seen a station west of the Mississippi that didn't have a diesel pump (although I guess there's some in Cali, according to Rags). It doesn't matter if I'm in the middle-of-nowhere, WY, or downtown Denver, Pheonix, or Albequerque - whatever. They all have diesel pumps.

[Raghavan]

Does it matter?

I've never seen a station west of the Mississippi that didn't have a diesel pump (although I guess there's some in Cali, according to Rags). It doesn't matter if I'm in the middle-of-nowhere, WY, or downtown Denver, Pheonix, or Albequerque - whatever. They all have diesel pumps.

I will take a pic of my local gas station just to show you that you are wrong.

[rohan]

I will take a pic of my local gas station just to show you that you are wrong.

Yea- and you'll probably only take pics of areas where there arent' any diesel pumps to try to "proove" your point.  I've seen it a million times.  Bastard.

[Tave]

I will take a pic of my local gas station just to show you that you are wrong.

I'm wrong? How? How the hell are you going to prove that I haven't seen a gas station without a diesel pump? Do you have some magic tricks up your sleeve or something?


I believe that your local stations don't carry diesel, but I've been in every state west of the Mississippi except for Oregon, and I've seen diesel gas all over the place. If anyone's wrong, it's you, for saying

"The only thing I don't like about diesels is that most gas stations don't sell it. That would be the only reason I wouldn't get a diesel."

In fact there are tons of gas stations all across the country which sell it. It's not like hydrogen fuel for Pete's sake; it's all over the place.

[ifcar]

Does it matter?

I've never seen a station west of the Mississippi that didn't have a diesel pump (although I guess there's some in Cali, according to Rags). It doesn't matter if I'm in the middle-of-nowhere, WY, or downtown Denver, Pheonix, or Albequerque - whatever. They all have diesel pumps.

I just did a search on Exxon.com of all stations within 300 miles of Denver (the largest radius it allows). It came out to 42 stations. Then I limited the search to stations with diesel. Down to 28.

Feel free to experiment with other brands/locations.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I want more hybrid sports cars. Hybrid for going fast, not saving gas.

[TheIntrepid]

I want more hybrid sports cars. Hybrid for going fast, not saving gas.

Your car is already z0mg so fast. 'st33m ftw!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Your car is already z0mg so fast. 'st33m ftw!

The 'st33m has 0hp right now. The 'sc0rt is my current DD.

[TheIntrepid]

The 'st33m has 0hp right now. The 'sc0rt is my current DD.

Why 0hp!?

[Raghavan]

I'm wrong? How? How the hell are you going to prove that I haven't seen a gas station without a diesel pump? Do you have some magic tricks up your sleeve or something?


I believe that your local stations don't carry diesel, but I've been in every state west of the Mississippi except for Oregon, and I've seen diesel gas all over the place. If anyone's wrong, it's you, for saying

"The only thing I don't like about diesels is that most gas stations don't sell it. That would be the only reason I wouldn't get a diesel."

In fact there are tons of gas stations all across the country which sell it. It's not like hydrogen fuel for Pete's sake; it's all over the place.

They're really rare here. And you're wrong for saying that you've never seen a gas station in America that doesn't sell diesel, so me posting a pic of on that doesn't sell diesel would prove you wrong.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Why 0hp!?

registration is still expired 

[TheIntrepid]

They're really rare here. And you're wrong for saying that you've never seen a gas station in America that doesn't sell diesel, so me posting a pic of on that doesn't sell diesel would prove you wrong.

He says he's never seen one. You posting a pic would just be, a pic. He hasn't seen that specific station, has he?

[Raghavan]

I just did a search on Exxon.com of all stations within 300 miles of Denver (the largest radius it allows). It came out to 42 stations. Then I limited the search to stations with diesel. Down to 28.

Feel free to experiment with other brands/locations.

there's six Exxon station that sells diesel within 100 miles of my house.
The closest one is 47.6 miles away.

[rohan]

there's six Exxon station that sells diesel within 100 miles of my house.
The closest one is 47.6 miles away.

Only exxon stations are in your area?  Some kind of local ordinance? 

[Raghavan]

He says he's never seen one. You posting a pic would just be, a pic. He hasn't seen that specific station, has he?

He said he never saw one, and he asked if i was high, so i'm just proving that there aren't many stations in california that sell diesel fuel.