Honda with California ready diesel
Posted By RichC on September 25, 2006
We all know that diesel cars are among the stingiest on fuel, but then their has always been that emissions hurdle … until now. Honda has one upped their diesel leading European counterparts with a new fuel efficient California ready four cylinder car. It will be the first to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency strict California diesel exhaust rules said Honda’s President Takeo Fukui in Japan. This will be the first vehicle to meet these rules and will beat the equivalent gasoline model by 30 percent in efficiency.
Unfortunately the wheels of progress move slowly as the car is not planned for introduction until the 2009 model year, the same year Honda intends to bring over a fuel cell powered sports car, according to Bloomberg.
Currently there are only a handful of diesel passenger cars in the US, primarily made by Volkswagen and Mercedes, but with fuel prices taking a bigger bite out of consumers wallets many are looking at options. Hybrid leadership belongs to Toyota, followed by Honda and seems to be the best known option. Alternative domestic replacements for oil is hoped will add supply to the current petroleum monopoly over how we fuel our current and future vehicles, but is requiring government subsidies in order to compete as it is ramped up.
Conservation options are the individuals best choice in getting more for their dollar in either driving less or driving smarter. According to market forecaster J.D. Power & Associates, they estimate that diesels will account for 9 percent of U.S. auto sales by 2010 and continue to rise as US consumers recognize what Europeans have already found out … diesel are no longer the noisy and smelly cars they were in years past, especially with new ULSD and biodiesel available.
According to the Bloomberg article cited above, Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler plan to use a system that squirts ammonia on diesel fumes as they pass through a filtering chamber, a system that the U.S. EPA and California regulators haven’t yet approved. Honda on the other hand, said its diesel engine differs from rivals’ by using a new nitrogen oxide catalytic converter to generate and store ammonia on-board, rather than adding it separately as the Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler systems require. Particulate matter or soot produced by diesel engines contributes to lung disease, aggravates asthma and other breathing problems and creates smog, according to the EPA.
The new U.S. regulations, which start in 2007, require vehicles that weigh less than 6,000 pounds to emit no more than 0.07 grams of nitrogen oxide per mile on average. This new standard is proving a major challenge for fuel efficient diesel cars of the past … standards to which few diesel cars have been able to meet.
EDIT: A friend fowarded a good article on the announcement here. Thanks Buck.
Entering a quick personal weekend update from my Treo smartphone with an attached sunset photo as I ride with my son driving a few practice hours before he takes his driving test later this fall. It was a nice weekend after a cooler and rainy start on Saturday. The Friday night high school football game went surprisingly well as our local team recorded its 3rd win in a row as 
The folks over at 
Since there are a few VW owners reading these posts, I told my nephew I would give hime a hand in selling a set of 4 
The Hezbollah rabble-rouser gave an inperson speech today in southern Beirut in a rally celebrating a ‘victory’ over Israel. One has to wonder if 1) he is a target in such a large gathering, 2) if his speaking will inspire more terror and/or 3) will make the United Nations/Lebanon’s job of disarming Hezbollah and preventing further violence? Today’s ‘in-person’ appearance seems to be a surprise to many. It will be interesting to follow what transpires as there is a significant crowd of pro-Hezbollah gathering … at this time the rally doesn’t seem to be out of hand but is doing little to promote a peaceful existence.
Heads must have turned as the 
In an early morning landing today the Shuttle Atlantis returned safety to Florida at 6:21 EST. The “in the dark” landing was near perfect and as many pilots can confirm, clear morning landings on a lit paved runways are no more difficult than daylight landings. This STS-115 mission marked NASA’s official entry back into the space-station construction business, a task put on a four-year hiatus due to upgrades and test flights made after the Columbia accident. Commander Brent Jett and his five crewmates – pilot Chris Ferguson, flight engineer Dan Burbank, Canada’s Steve MacLean, Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper – delivered and installed a $372 million solar power system during a complex series of robotic maneuvers and three spacewalks. 
The proximity to Interstate 71 at exit 151 just east of Mount Gilead Ohio makes it an ideal stop for many who find the other renewable fuel filling stations inconvenient. I personally appreciated the pay at the pump credit card option as it makes the stop quick … besides, it is just a few yards west of the interstate exit — truly a no-hassle ‘pit stop.’ If you have a flex-fuel vehicle, or drive a diesel, be sure to support Ohio farmers growing clean fuel made in America. 
There is a significant amount of information available on both biodiesel and ethanol. Here are a couple things to keep in mind: First, E85 is the government designated term for motor fuel blends of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline, is a domestic renewable fuel grown by farmers and what we currently use is processed in the US. Its not only better for the environment, but is good for the American economy by keeping the dollars circulating at home — BUT be sure your vehicle is E85 compatible before filling up. (see 
