[SGVLUG] [OT] Especially for Tom & his Prius.... [my rebuttal, then I'll shut up]

[Christopher Smith]

Dustin Laurence wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 11, 2006 at 12:53:09AM -0700, Michael Proctor-Smith wrote:
>>Speaking of CARB apparently they are changing the diesel regulations
>>for 07 or 08 and some of the cool new TDI will no longer be available
>>in California :-(
> 
> It's complicated. :-)
> 
> My understanding is that <takes deep breath>: for a long time now it's
> been illegal to sell a light diesel in CA with < 7500 miles, because of
> point emissions.  In September in CA all diesel must be ultra-low
> sulphur, so in the 2007 model year it will be legal to sell light
> diesels again, including the TDI's.  But the next year the emissions
> standards will be tightened, and VW's current Pumpe Duse TDI's can't
> meet the tightened regs, so they'll withdraw again from the CARB state
> market for 2008--mostly.

My understanding was that someone (I think VW) came up with a filter,
using one of these foam gels, that trapped particles on the way out.
They need to be replaced every bazillion or so miles, but otherwise work
pretty well and actually get diesels to compete very well with
gasoline-powered vehicles (I think they were even talking about getting
a vehicle to hit SULEV, but don't quote me on that).

> And advanced diesel hybrid is probably the most efficient city vehicle
> we actually know how to build.

Nah, purely electric and fuel cell vehicles beat it. While we can build
them, there are problems with usability outside of city commuting.

--Chris