http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?content_code=06221563(05:38:47 Dec. 14, 2003) Burning the Midnight Oil: VW banks on diesel for the near future
By ROGER HART VW plans more diesels next year, but for now you can get one under the hood of a New Beetle. VOLKSWAGEN'S DIESEL SYMPOSIUM could have just as easily been labeled an "alternative-to-the-fuel-cell symposium," considering the event was held just one week after all the fuel cell and hybrid cars were unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. "I doubt anyone in this room will ever see fuel cells replace the internal-combustion engine," said Volkswagen chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder, setting the tone for the discussions to follow. "The big questions remain: Where do you get the hydrogen? Is it better to burn the hydrogen in the engine, or use it to produce electricity for electric motors? Big questions." Volkswagen's eagerness to show the company's diesel technology prowess is easy to understand. VW is the world leader in diesel engine production, with three-, four-, five-, six- and 10-cylinder engines accounting for 49 percent of the company's sales in Europe. VW is the only manufacturer selling diesel-powered passenger cars in the United States (Golf, Jetta and New Beetle), although Mercedes among others will be bringing a diesel (E-Class) version next year. Even though VW's diesel inroads in the United States have been modest, accounting for about 10 percent of the company's annual sales of 320,000 cars, the chairman remains upbeat. "I am absolutely convinced there will be a breakthrough of diesel sales in the U.S.," Pischetsrieder said. "Absolutely convinced." Pischetsrieder's confidence stems from his belief that logic will eventually win out with U.S. customers. Diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines-you can go farther on a gallon of fuel-and diesel provides more engine torque, giving drivers the feeling of power even in small-car applications. Plus, the new generation of turbocharged-unit-injector diesel powerplants are cleaner, less noisy, and more efficient than diesels of the past. "For 30 years we have told customers the wrong story," said Wilfried Bockelmann, VW board member for technical development. "We've talked about horsepower and not torque. Torque is what you feel and what people want. Diesel delivers torque, and the country that needs it is the U.S. With all those vehicles with the aerodynamics of a baroque cabinet, diesel will make it a more pleasurable experience." Hartmut Heinrich, the head of VW's fuel strategy department, projects that diesel-powered light trucks (Bockelmann's "baroque cabinets") will make up 27 percent of its market by 2010. He adds that hydrogen does look like the fuel of the future, but that future is about 30 years off. "There could be limited use by 2020, but we really see the internal-combustion engine to be the main source of propulsion for the next 30 years," Heinrich said. "The use of hydrogen as a fuel source will only be feasible after all barriers, technical and economical, have been overcome." Back to diesels: VW will offer its mammoth 310-hp, 553-lb-ft twin-turbocharged V10 diesel in its Touareg sport/utility vehicle next year. Plus, early next year both the Passat sedan and wagon will have optional diesel inline four-cylinder powerplants. In the United States, the biggest hurdles for diesel acceptance remain emissions and fuel availability, and at the pumps there is less incentive since diesel costs about the same as gasoline. VW's Richard Dorenkamp, head of diesel after-treatment, says diesel use in the United States should increase after 2006 when U.S. emissions laws mandate low-sulfur diesel fuel. Europe has enjoyed the benefits of the low-sulfur diesel for years, helping Europeans embrace its use. With the increased efficiency of a diesel, someone driving 15,000 miles per year would save about 30 percent on fuel costs. But the diesel option adds about $1,400 to the cost of the new vehicle. Consumers may not want to wait the three to four years (or more, depending upon driving habits) for the payoff. "Once people realize they can get 50 percent more torque, and that the fun factor is much higher, we think people will want this," Bockelmann said. "With more cars, you will have more availability of the fuel. Plus, we think this is a good alternative to a hybrid. Much more fun." ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/9bTolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
