C4 Dispatches - Killer Diesel

Cornucopia

I was browsing 4OD last night and came across an edition of Dispatches from a couple of weeks ago called the Great Car Con. It was about the "hidden dangers" of diesel fuel - just the dangers in cars, obviously.

As an aficionado of great journalistic blunders it was hugely enjoyable - all the most painful issues were there:-

- A program made by people with no common sense, but with an agenda

- A program relishing its status as being outside of any requirement for balance

- Program makers seemingly lacking in the basics of analysis and reasoning

- Scare-mongering with regards to the future value of diesel cars "when the authorities act".

- Emotive scenes between a presenter and a mother about how her very own car emits 3 times more NO2 at peak than the average long term recommended limit for air quality. Neither of them appeared to know that those were two completely different things.

- The presenter actually described diesel at one point (14:50) as "a killer". Maybe, but only if you drink it.

Overall, I think it was probably the worst piece of TV journalism I've seen in a long while - and that's quite a claim given the lamentable overall standard.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/on-demand/59670-003

jaydeeuk1

You're trying to sell a diesel Mondeo, aren't you?

RMS2

Well, this is the problem when you have a gullible uneducated public, who lap up everything by the media, that is sent out by politicians and the elites, to suit them. One day, people might wake up to the 'great con' (AKA Green Energy/saving the world).


But back to cars. It doesn't take a genius to notice the muck and filth, that diesels put out. Back in the mid '80s, I was a despatch rider on London and getting stuck behind, buses, taxis and trucks/vans was no fun, as ruddy great plumes of thick black smoke bellowed out of them. We all used to wear scarves wrapped over our mouths, even in summer, with visor up to let cool air in. At the end of the day, you'd look like a Panda when you took your lid off.


Later in life, I spent 20 years working for a car/bike manufacturer and was bewildered to see petrol vehicles being vilified over diesel vehicles. The great diesel vehicle revolution had begun, green diesel healthy emission cars were where it was at.


And now we've come full circle and petrol is back in fashion, because it suits the money men and the oil producers. As for electric, no one ever mentions the energy produced by the fuel stations, the resources dug up and put in to production to produce one and the cost to the environment of adding another crapper to the heap. Any tiny emission they save is far outweighed by these environmental costs and they far outstrip the benefits of the lifetime of the car. Of course, not forgetting that battery life is measured in a few years and is cost prohibitive in replacing, so another scrapper and so the cycle goes on.


But hey, you can feel all warm inside, knowing you're doing your bit for the environment and saving polar bears. So, scrap your diesel this week and buy petrol.


Next week's article, why petrol cars are so bad for the environment and why you should scrap them and buy cleaner diesel.

Cornucopia

Yes - you wonder what forces are at work when so much effort is put into selling battery-powered (and probably about to be put into hydrogen) when compressed air is almost certainly the most practical "fuel" for the next 10-20 years.

The propaganda on hydrogen, in particular, defies common sense and the basic science involved.

Cornucopia

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

You're trying to sell a diesel Mondeo, aren't you?

No. But this makes me all the more certain that my next car will be leased, though. (And probably still a low emission diesel).

Johno100

I thought diesel got off quite lightly in the programme, not one mention of DPF failures.

iolanthe07

compressed air is almost certainly the most practical "fuel" for the next 10-20 years.

Yes, I've often wondered about compressed air. I did read that some cars were produced in India that were driven by compressed air, but I don't know what was the outcome. When you think of the range and speed of a WW2 torpedo powered by compressed air, surely with modern metallurgy allowing much higher pressures it ought to be an idea worth exploring. Perhaps an engineer among our fraterinty will come along and tell us why it can't work!

Cornucopia

Looks like I spoke too soon:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2568732/Car-runs-air-set-hit-streets-year-Peugeot-claims-new-hybrid-117mpg.html

I wonder if people will still complain that they "only" get 102mpg?

arcon5

I'm of the opinion people are not now choosing petrol because of fashion or environmental impact but because of the ever increasing costs of maintaining a diesel and now people are paying the price of buying a diesel for the wrong driving conditions.
Most of which is caused by emissions related devices... Sticking Egr, clogged dpf.
Plus injectors and DMF are not cheap.

Compared to a petrol. Of course how long for we don't know since vw now do direct injection gasoline engines and turbo technology for petrols has enhanced over the years.

Motoring in ten years though Will be so different. Long gone will be the day's you can buy a banger for cheap and get some good motoring. With so many enhancements from epb to park assist to smart charging alternators, electrical fault will be rife.

worried_jim

iolanthe07 wrote: »

compressed air is almost certainly the most practical "fuel" for the next 10-20 years.

Yes, I've often wondered about compressed air. I did read that some cars were produced in India that were driven by compressed air, but I don't know what was the outcome. When you think of the range and speed of a WW2 torpedo powered by compressed air, surely with modern metallurgy allowing much higher pressures it ought to be an idea worth exploring. Perhaps an engineer among our fraterinty will come along and tell us why it can't work!

Here is the air powered Indian car-

facade

iolanthe07 wrote: »

When you think of the range and speed of a WW2 torpedo powered by compressed air, surely with modern metallurgy allowing much higher pressures it ought to be an idea worth exploring. Perhaps an engineer among our fraterinty will come along and tell us why it can't work!

They were used around the 1900s, and managed about 1km.

People have been announcing compressed air cars for around 10 years, but no-one is making them.

The pugeot system looks rather like they use an air compressor as a brake, and recover some of the energy that would have been wasted as heat to get the car rolling again, and therefore save fuel.