While diesel engines and fuel are an increasingly popular fixture in Europe (45% adoption rate), in the United States, consumers aren’t buying into the craze.
Why?
The answer to that question is a multi-faceted one. Among diesel enthusiasts, it’s hard to understand why so much of the world’s population forgoes many of the undeniable advantages diesel brings to consumers in comparison to traditional, petrol fuel.
If you’re new to the traditional fuel versus diesel fuel debate and want to know a few basics, below, our team has compiled 3 things you should know about diesel fuel.
1. Diesel Fuel is More Efficient
One of the chief reasons why so many people prefer diesel fuel to traditional fuel is that it’s a lot more efficient.
Consumers are surprised to learn that as much as 80% of the traditional gasoline they put in their car is lost. That means that only 20% of the fuel you buy actually ends up propelling your vehicle.
Fuel losses are due to factors like friction, miscellaneous engine functions, noise production, and heat.
In comparison, measures have shown that diesel fuel doubles traditional fuel’s productivity with a 40% use rate.
Combining that efficiency with the fact that diesel is usually cheaper than traditional fuel means that you get a lot more bang for your buck with a diesel engine.
2. Diesel is Safer Than Traditional Gas
The petrol-based gas you put in your car is highly flammable. If you poured a little bit out onto the cement and dropped a match in it, the gas would ignite before the match even touched the puddle just from the fuel’s vapours.
Diesel fuel, on the other hand, is much less flammable. As a matter of fact, if you threw a match into a puddle of diesel, your match would likely go out (don’t try this at home).
The lack of flammability in diesel fuel makes transporting it in trucks or in cubes found on sites like ablesales.com.au a less risky proposition.
3. Price and Convenience is Why Diesel Hasn’t Caught On
The two diesel benefits we’ve listed above just scratch the surface when it comes to the advantages of diesel fuel. Why then hasn’t diesel hit the mainstream?
Price and convenience.
Since diesel engines are produced in less volume, consumers pay more for cars that feature them. Furthermore, diesel engines can cause more vibration, more noise, and ultimately can be less convenient to drive with than a traditional fuel engine.
Wrapping Up: Things to Know About Diesel Fuel
With diesel’s popularity growing slowly but surely, the future is bright for this traditional fuel alternative.
We think that as adoption rates begin to tick up, diesel engines will get cheaper, easier to drive with, and will ultimately overtake the new car market majority from traditional fuel.
For more diesel fuel facts and additional information on all things auto, check out more on Auto-Facts.org today!