Enter the Jeep....

[ToxicSludge]

Register to stop seeing this ad!

Originally Posted by Caddis

I'm going to preface this question/comment by admitting that I have very little automotive knowledge. However, as I've read this particular thread and have followed the Mahindra saga here in general, I've had a recurring curiosity regarding any possible involvement of the US oil industry in all of this.

It is my understanding that diesel takes less refining than gas and that our current refinery system is set up to make much more gasoline (potentially more income for oil corps?). Furthermore, diesel, i.e. biodiesel in various forms, seems like a much more adaptable biofuel with the potential of significantly reducing our need for petroleum. The whole E-85 ethanol thing seems like it was doomed from the start just by basic science and common sense. Is it possible there's some ongoing sculduggery behind the scenes involving the big oil corps helping to delay/prevent more reasonably sized diesels becoming more common in the country? I vaguely understand the various reasons presented so far such as higher production costs, meeting certain standards, etc., but it seems to me that with a number of small efficient diesels scattered all over the world that our well-educated engineers in this country could have come up with the necessary modifications to make it happen by now if "the powers that be" (whomever they are) wanted it to happen.

Now I certainly don't have any evidence to back up my conspiracy theory, but it's been crossing my mind none-the-less. Anyone have any thoughts?

Be advised....your not alone in your thinking.Listen,Jeep sold the Liberty CRD back in 05 and 06 and was overwhelmed with the very unexpected demand.That more then proves the "want" of small diesels in this country.Now let me answer something else for you,diesel fuel is a by-product of the gasoline making process,it is actually nothing that special as most believe.

Also,you are right in thinking bio-diesel is not only more effcient to produce,and cheaper,it's actually better for your diesel as opposed to a ethanol/gas blend is for a regular engine.So why is it the auto manufacturers are put off by offering us a diesel option? Even when it would greatly improve the overall fleet mpg average?They say it's too expensive...yet,most new nav/infotainment systems available for cars actually equal or more times then not exceed the price of a diesel????WTF??

Does "big oil" actually have anything to do with this strange american only phenomenon?I don't know.Ask yourself this: why did the obama administration stop funding bio diesel research?Why did the small bio diesel producers hit the skids?Maybe Jesse ventura can give us an answer

[JoBo]

Toxic.

You didn't mention the "splash and dash" going on in the bio marketing. Here's a link.
http://biodieselmagazine.com/article...rticle_id=1863

[ToxicSludge]

Good article,although it's now 3 years old.The obama administration did see fit to stop helping bio-diesel factory start-ups.Many went out of business.Too bad most americans don't see diesel as an immediate solution to increased mpg.Most don't even know or care what happens to the battery packs out of their expensive hybrids.

[howam00]

for the few that have had to have them replaced the old ones get recycled into new packs or other components.