VW Passat 78.5 MPG (Imperial gallon) 65.2 MPG US gallon in the Uk

[madengr]

Great rant on why you can't buy a high efficiency diesel in the US. As an engineer, this pisses me off to no end.



Here are the engine specs of a VW Passat 4 door sedan. Just divide by 1.2 to convert imperial MPG to US MPG.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new/pass...el-consumption

A VW Pollo will get 76 MPG US.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new/polo...el-consumption

[Sola_Fide]

Great rant.

[Anti Federalist]

87 mpg while driving a Ford Focus – But you still can’t buy one in the U.S.

http://blog.fuelclinic.com/2010/01/0...-a-ford-focus/

January 3, 2010

Source: Independent.ie

PUTTING economy driving into practise was the aim of a group of drivers who took part in a Wexford to Dublin charity challenge. The Charity Eco-Drive Challenge was won by a driver who achieved a fuel economy figure of 87 mpg while driving a Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Style.

Organised in December by Ger Boland and Enda Newport from Ford dealer Boland’s of Ferrybank, Wexford, the Charity Eco-Drive Challenge saw six drivers tasked with driving from Wexford to Dublin (Stillorgan Park Hotel) and back to Wexford using as little fuel as possible.

Each driver’s fuel consumption was analysed and from the six drivers, Michael Forde of Curracloe, Co Wexford, came out on top with the most economic result of 87 mpg for the round trip. Among the six participants, the range of fuel consumption figures achieved went from Michael’s 87 mpg to 64 mpg.

To ensure fair play, each of the six participants drove the same route in identical Focus 1.6 TDCi models of the same age and similar mileage. The winning driver was given the option of nominating a charity to receive a donation of €1,000. Michael nominated the Wexford Women’s Refuge to receive an early Christmas present.

Speaking about his strategy for the challenge, Michael Forde said: “I wasn’t too concerned about maintaining a steady speed, the secret to eco-driving is engine revs.

“So long as I could keep the engine revs in the range of approximately 1500 to 1800, I knew that I would end up with a very respectable fuel consumption figure.”

Michael also highlighted tyre pressure as being another important element: “Most motorists don’t realise it but incorrect pressure settings mean more fuel used.”

The Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Style with alloy wheels, air conditioning, fog lights and Bluetooth, is available for around €21,750.

Once again a modern factory-built diesel-powered automobile has achieved astonishing fuel efficiency numbers in a driving competition. This isn’t futuristic technology that is “just around the corner” or “not yet cost effective”, these are current versions of diesel-powered cars that roll off of assembly lines in other parts of the world every day – and are affordable to ordinary people.

So, why are we in the US not yet able to buy these ultra-efficient little diesel-powered cars (Ford Focus ECOnic, Mini-D) that are “old news” in other parts of the world (as of 2007 about 50% of new cars sold in Europe have diesel engines) and then choose to run them on modern bio-diesel fuels that are slowly coming to market?

Embracing modern diesel engine technology also avoids the chicken-and-egg problem that other alternative fuels suffer from… US-based drivers can fuel their zippy and efficient little diesel-powered cars and light trucks, easily getting better than 60 MPG every day on petroleum-based diesel, then get even “greener” when the bio-varieties gain investment and availability (thanks to the greater number of vehicles on the road that can consume their products).

Or you can brew your own bio-diesel – or buy from a local bio-diesel producer – more on that later…

AS an aside, Rudolph Diesel, the man who invented the engine design that still bears his name “was also a well-respected thermal engineer and a social theorist. Diesel’s inventions have three points in common: they relate to heat transfer by natural physical processes or laws; they involve markedly creative mechanical design; and they were initially motivated by the inventor’s concept of sociological needs. Rudolf Diesel originally conceived the diesel engine to enable independent craftsmen and artisans to compete with industry.”

Diesel was a brilliant inventor and understood exactly how competitive his engine would become, but did he realize that the industries his engine would “threaten” a hundred years later would be the oil industry and the tax man?

[madengr]

Remember the 80 year old mundane they charged wih tax evasion since he did not pay state fuel taxes on the biodiesel brewed for his own consumption?

[smhbbag]

I'm writing my Democratic Congressman about this. It's annoyed me for a while, but this actually got me going.

[fisharmor]

But we can't possibly function as a society without the federal government regulating our economy.
How dare you guys suspect government officials of nefarious purposes.
You're as bad as the ones who think all cops are rotten.

[Anti Federalist]

Remember the 80 year old mundane they charged wih tax evasion since he did not pay state fuel taxes on the biodiesel brewed for his own consumption?

Or they'll just take it away and then try to figure out what to charge you with.

We're all on our way to prison boys.


Homemade bio diesel fuel taken away

Updated: Thursday, 22 Dec 2011, 8:12 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 22 Dec 2011, 6:12 PM EST

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_lon...m-norwich-home

NORWICH, Conn. (WTNH) - Police were called to the scene of a man making gas.

Homemade bio diesel fuel was taken from 312 Bosewell Avenue.

Making bio diesel fuel is not illegal, but according to police 200 gallons were taken.

The combustible fuel was manufactured from cooking oils. It was stored in 55 gallon drums. It was taken from the stairwell of the home, as well as off of the back of a pickup truck.

The Department of Environmental Protection is checking on the facts regarding the amount of fuel inside the home, whether or not it is illegal, and what hazards it may cause.

Bio diesel fuel is used for cars and other gas powered items.

[Anti Federalist]

But we can't possibly function as a society without the federal government regulating our economy.
How dare you guys suspect government officials of nefarious purposes.
You're as bad as the ones who think all cops are rotten.

Commie.

Anti American pinko.

[andrew1229649]

I'm calling my US congressman tomorrow first thing in the morning. I'm tired of this GOD D**N BULLS**T. The f**king line has been crossed. The god d**n gravy train stops here!!!! It's far from obvious to me now that they are f**king us in the d**n ass as hard as they can. This is going to be spread far and wide.....there are people choosing gasoline over food and all our reps do is bitch about a bunch of *****s getting married. Who gives a f**k!! I always knew that 20 mpg gallon was horse s**t. Far and wide friends, far and wide.