Just saw a BMW Diesel commercial in the US

[BiffF15]

Originally Posted by Nixon

At my parking garage at work there are electric plug-ins for block heaters scattered around in a number of spots. I fully plan one day to buy some sort of plug-in electric something with a decent range, and only plug it in when I'm at work.

Instantly I will cut about $2,000+ dollars out of my current yearly car expenses. If 4-year depreciation rates for early electric cars end up being similar to early hybrid and VW diesel depreciation rates, my savings could come close to covering the entire cost of depreciation.

Let's say Mitsubishi imports their iMiev Sport for $24,000 dollars (this has been mentioned as a possible US price). I drive it for 4 years and just charge it at work. If gas prices stay the same, I will save $8,000+ on gas. The car would then effectively not cost me a single penny to drive for 4 years if I sell it for $16,000. Tack on a $3,000 dollar tax credit like the Prius got, and I only have to sell it for $13,000 to break even.

The iMiev Sport is rumored to be a 7-8 second AWD car, so I wouldn't lose that much performance from the A4 I currently own. So while it's no Tesla roadster, I could live with it.

At this point, I'm pretty much just looking for a car replace my aging 2001 A4 until some time between 2010 and 2012 when all the early electric cars are all supposed to start showing up.

I don't need no stinking hydrogen.

I would suspect that you will eventually get charged for plugging in at your parking garage. Someone is paying for your transportation energy (you via fuel and someone else via the plug). If the owner of the parking garage has a clue (he sees a summer time spike in his electric bill) then you can expect he will pass along those expenses to those who park in his facility.
Just my two cents.
Nothing is free.

[Nixon]

Originally Posted by BiffF15

I would suspect that you will eventually get charged for plugging in at your parking garage. Someone is paying for your transportation energy (you via fuel and someone else via the plug). If the owner of the parking garage has a clue (he sees a summer time spike in his electric bill) then you can expect he will pass along those expenses to those who park in his facility.
Just my two cents.
Nothing is free.

Except the parking garage is actually owned by my company, and we park for free. And my company is fairly progressive, buying WindSource power, participating in recycling projects, tree planting, Habitat for Humanity, etc.

We're also part of a group of companies in an 1-25 corridor traffic and pollution abatement coalition. The company provides special parking for van pools, special parking for scooters and motorcycles, free bus passes for people who choose to commute by bus, etc.

So while it won't be free, I'm going to guess that at least until plug-in cars become the norm, that my company will be happy to provide the electricity gratis, as a perk and incentive to help the environment. I wouldn't even be too surprised if they reserved some premium parking places for plug-in cars, and added dedicated charging stations just to encourage folks to buy plug-in cars.

One of the interesting side benefits for me of charging at work, is that because my company buys wind-generated power through Xcel energy's WindSource program, my electric car would be nearly pollution free. Not a single drop of oil, liter of natural gas, ton of coal, or ounce of uranium would be consumed to power it.

[e49er81]

i pay 4.20 for a gallon of gasoline! no regrets though 135i is a great car. oh well now ill just wait for those electric cars

[Stew]

Originally Posted by WhiteOne

I bought diesel fuel in Portugal last year for $2.60 a gallon. They drive them because the goverment gives huge tax breaks. $4.00 a gallon here is rediculous. When you make gasoline, I believe diesel and asphalt are bi-products. USA & ULSD don't play well together.(Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel)

When I worked at a refinery a few summers ago, they were spending millions and millions of dollars on new equipment and upgrades to produce ULSD

[WhiteOne]

The US now has LSD and ULSD. The fuel is in place. The car companies need to start offering the cars. Real car nuts are not going to buy them. They do not rev up like the gas burners. 50mpg sounds nice. But at what cost? $4.20 a gallon and going up daily. Ouch!

[aesthetect]

^ did ya miss the thread?

Originally Posted by aesthetect

when i went to test drive the 1 the sales advisor said they would be bringing over diesels in 2009, which i love the idea of but am still skeptical.

anyway, consider the price increase for diesel versus the amount you would be using...

it varies regionally but say you pay $4.20 for diesel (cause thats what he^ said) and i just filled up today for $3.50 for petrol

taking the 335 as an example
335d: 23/33 mpg
335: 17/26 mpg

(m/g)/($/g)=(m/$)=(miles per dollar)

335d: 5.48 m/$
335: 4.86 m/$

you save in the end. and youre using less gas ultimately (yay for environment anybody? although that's subject to refinement processes which i dunno off the top of my head)

(let me know if any of those numbers are off i just did a quick google search)

[BMWBLOG.COM]

Originally Posted by Rippy087

I was watching the National Geographic channel, and then this commercial comes up that says.

"If every driver in the United States switched to Diesel fuel, we would save 33 billion dollars a year. Brought to you by BMW, the Ultimate Driving Machine"

Well... Why don't you sell diesels in the US then??? Is this something we should expect in the future, or are they just taunting us?

Jake

They are coming. The 335d and X5d will be released in October.

[BMWBLOG.COM]

Originally Posted by Neo187H

Most diesels won't pass emissions in NY Cali and a few other states that I can't think of off the top of my head so they won't be sold and wont be able to be registered in those states.

you're wrong. Their engines have been approved already, MB's ones as well.

[bimmertech]

Originally Posted by BMWBLOG.COM

you're wrong. Their engines have been approved already, MB's ones as well.

they pass ny/ca emission with a urea additive that is injected into the exhaust stream. mb calls it bluetec, vw calls it blue motion, and bimmer calls it adblue.

[BMWBLOG.COM]

Originally Posted by bimmertech

they pass ny/ca emission with a urea additive that is injected into the exhaust stream. mb calls it bluetec, vw calls it blue motion, and bimmer calls it adblue.

exactly. Thanks for the description.

[Neo187H]

Originally Posted by BMWBLOG.COM

you're wrong. Their engines have been approved already, MB's ones as well.

As of 08 model year MB diesel engines were not 50 state legal, I did not realize that MB had already released there second generation of bluetec for MY 09

[jbenington86]

Here you go your electric car is coming out soon..... not a BMW but seems pretty nice but the cost is pretty huge also http://www.teslamotors.com/
$109,000
0-60 in 3.9 seconds
range 220 approx.
top speed a little lacking but not bad for an electric 120mph
248hp peak

[Kiwi]

Hybrid, [COLOR=#000000! important][COLOR=#000000! important]fuel-cell[/COLOR][/COLOR] and all-electric vehicles are viewed by many as the future of the motoring world but there is a growing fear that the flow of electrical current from the motors that power such vehicles produces harmful magnetic fields, which some scientists associate with a number of health risks including increased risk of cancer. Magnetic fields are all around us in our everyday lives – produced by everything from mobile phones to hair dryers – but in the case of an EV or hybrid prolonged exposure because of high power cables located close to the driver and passengers could compound the effects.

Initial tests on current [COLOR=#000000! important][COLOR=#000000! important][COLOR=#000000! important][COLOR=#000000! important]hybrid [COLOR=#000000! important]vehicles[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] using simple hand-held meters are starting to show alarming results, reports The New York Times. Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute acknowledge the potential hazards of long-term exposure to a strong electromagnetic field and the harmful effects of living near high-voltage utility lines.
Currently, there is no regulatory standard over what level of exposure constitutes a health hazard or what should be the maximum limit, however carmakers such as Honda and Toyota claim internals tests have shown there is no risk to motorists.
Researchers are still sitting on the fence, saying there’s no need to be alarmed but the potential health risk should not be ignored either.

[BMW-Munich]

Originally Posted by jdcolombo

(...)

Of course, you'd also have to see if there is any price difference between the two cars (probably not - the two are both "upgrades" from the 328i, and probably will carry similar premiums). This was the one reason I didn't wait for a diesel version of the X5 (we just bought a new one for my wife); the projected premium for a diesel in the X5 is $1500 over the 3.0L six. That means we probably wouldn't save any money for at least five years

(...)

John C.

In Germany diesel powered cars are more expensive compared to gasoline ones. For example you have to spend 8500€ more for a E60 535d than for a 530i. The power of the both engines is quite the same (286bhp (d) and 272bhp (i) ) but the characteristic of a diesel engine is quite diffrent. You've got a lot of torque, so you won't get out of this car without a wide smile. :smile:
Personally I prefer gasoline engines because you can't rev a diesel up to 7000rpm.

[xtrema]

Interesting article on Urea Injection:

http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...024/LATESTNEWS

I welcome diesel. Especially if the emission can be keep in check. In North America, diesel had a bad rep it didn't deserve. We should give it another chance. Hybrid and electric car will fill and land fill with dead batteries and far from viable.

[aesthetect]

does any automotive manufacturer offer a "performance"-oriented diesel in the US? wanting to test drive to get a feel of what a small, sporty, decent output diesel would feel like

[Nixon]

Originally Posted by aesthetect

does any automotive manufacturer offer a "performance"-oriented diesel in the US? wanting to test drive to get a feel of what a small, sporty, decent output diesel would feel like

The closest would be the Mercedes Benz E320 BlueTec. It isn't exactly a performance car, or small, or sporty. But it does 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, which will beat the pants off the only other diesel cars I know of that you could currently drive in the US market, which are the 2006 and earlier VW TDI's.

[aesthetect]

yeah the TDIs are the only ones i can think of but thats not enough performance to get a feel for what kind of impression a "sporty" diesel would leave. thanks.