DaimlerChrysler Tries To Bring Back Diesel

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]Reuters: Daimler bets on Japan diesel segment with new car
DaimlerChrysler drove back into Japan's almost nonexistent diesel car market on Monday with a new Mercedes-Benz luxury model and urged rivals to follow suit in an attempt to expand the segment. In the country's first new diesel car launch in four years, the world's No. 5 auto maker stressed the fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness of diesel-powered cars, trying to counter widespread perceptions of diesels as dirty and loud...In 1990, diesel powered 6.4 percent of all new cars sold in Japan. But demand fell after a law in 1992 lowered limits on emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxide...Diesel-powered cars now make up half the European market but their popularity has long since waned in Japan...But the trend may shift, research firm Yano has predicted a climb in diesel cars' share to 11 percent of Japan's passenger car market in 2015 from just 0.2 percent last year...more...

Related Reuters story: Japan makes plans for greener cars, batteries.

[Taro Toporific]

....DaimlerChrysler drove back into Japan's almost nonexistent diesel car market on Monday....

I thought that Gov Blinky new rules for scrubbers on diesels more or less killed diesel car market?

[jingai]

I thought that Gov Blinky new rules for scrubbers on diesels more or less killed diesel car market?

That's a really good question and the article skirted it with vague talk about cleaner diesels. In my understanding, passenger diesels don't yet have the technology to really lower their NOx and particulate matter emissions, and aren't sellable in California, or other US states with the California emissions standards.
Blinky required a "diesel particulate filter" on heavy-duty diesels in order to get into Tokyo, and I don't know of any small car version of this technology.

Also from the article:

Japanese auto makers, including Toyota and Honda Motor Co offer diesel cars in Europe, but none have announced plans to launch new models in Japan.

Tempel declined to give a sales target for the diesel car or to say whether Daimler would introduce more diesel models in Japan.

[Greji]

Blinky required a "diesel particulate filter" on heavy-duty diesels in order to get into Tokyo, and I don't know of any small car version of this technology.

Blinky backed off from his original charge against everything diesel when trunks came into the picture. Trunks mean transportation, construction, etc., read Yakuza related, and it was quickly "Whoa". Suddenly the verbage became all trucks could continue on diesel, but would at least require DPFs. Equally funny, is that all of the flilters initially sold (and a large amount it was with nasty installation costs) were found to be totally worthless, something equating to a condom with two open ends. I believe this was Mitsui & Co., and a kokaisha or two.

It was news for a while with a couple of execs going to the butabako and then it was quietly got pushed under the rug.

[jingai]

I did read all of this on the TMG's webpage- I love the thing about the corrupt filter makers- so Japan INC-ish.

In November 2004, it was discovered that Mitsui & Co., Ltd., had used falsified data for their application to receive official designation for their diesel particulate filter (DPF) system. This represented an act of betrayal for all of the residents in the metropolitan area who are hoping for improvements in air quality. TMG and the three prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa collaborated in filing suit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and eight prefectures and municipalities withdrew their designation of the DPF system.

http://www2.kankyo.metro.tokyo.jp/kouhou/env/eng/html/02/index.html

I don't think Tokyo was going to ban diesels but rather require very stringent emissions reductions. DPFs pretty much bring down the pollution to the levels of a natural gas vehicle, which ain't bad. Requiring every vehicle to install one of these is unthinkable in the US as only the Federal government could do it and they wouldn't dare go up against the truckers and truck companies.

There are reputable filter companies around with models verified by the US EPA and California Air Resource Board, and I'm working to get them required for some heavy-duty diesels in Connecticut. There is nothing I know of for cars yet.

[GuyJean]

..the world's No. 5 auto maker stressed the fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness of diesel-powered cars..

I wonder if it'll run on Biodiesel..

GJ

[jingai]

I wonder if it'll run on Biodiesel..

GJ

Nah. You can't make enough biodiesel to require all diesel be blended with significant percentages of it. Even if you did, the pollution reductions from a 20% blend (higher percentages corrode your system) are minimal compared to regular Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel- on the order of a few percentages. Smog-forming NOx actually goes up slightly with biodiesel.

[IkemenTommy]

With how the gas (PETROL for you europeans) prices are continuously increasing, people will have to start to adapt diesel as a cheaper alternative fuel. I've taken a ride on the Mercedez-Benz CDI car before and I was damned to say that it was a pretty smooth ride! The diesel particulate emission has come down considerably low and they are relatively clean, if not cleaner than their gasoline counterpart.