Honda Unveils Clean Diesel Engine and New Fuel Cell Car
Monday September 25, 2006
Honda Motor Co. claims to be the first auto manufacturer in the world to design a diesel engine that meets all U.S. emissions standards for 2009—without the need for additives—while delivering good performance and exceptional fuel efficiency. Honda plans to release its next-generation diesel car in the U.S. market within three years.
The automaker also showed its latest fuel cell car, with a hydrogen fuel cell stack that is 20 percent smaller and one-third lighter than previous models, which enabled Honda engineers to design a sleeker, more streamlined car. Honda plans limited marketing of the new fuel cell car in Japan and the United States in 2008.
The problem with traditional diesel engines has always been their heavy emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a problem that has become more pronounced as nations worldwide have adopted tougher emissions standards and consumers have become more environmentally conscious. Ammonia can convert nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen, but U.S. regulators have been skeptical of systems that use a separate supply of ammonia, because eventually the supply will run out and consumers would have to remember to replace it.
A Breakthrough for Diesel Technology
Honda has designed an innovative catalytic converter for its diesel engine that converts part of the diesel exhaust into ammonia, and then uses the ammonia to convert NOx into nitrogen. As a result, Honda’s system is self-sustaining and could be the breakthrough that would make diesel engines attractive for use in the United States and other countries.
In a test at its research center in Japan, Honda demonstrated a four-cylinder diesel engine capable of taking an Accord sedan to speeds over 120 mph—with emissions comparable to gasoline-powered vehicles. But most experts estimate the fuel economy of diesel engines as 10 percent to 40 percent above that of gasoline engines, with most estimates averaging around 30 percent.
Can Diesels Compete with Hybrids?
That's still lower mileage than most hybrids claim, and consumers who purchase diesel cars are unlikely to enjoy the kind of tax benefits and other subsidies that some governments are offering hybrid owners. Given Honda's reputation for engineering, however, an innovative diesel engine from Honda that can deliver good mileage and performance with fewer emissions is bound to attract consumer attention.
"This is just what you'd expect from Honda," said Ron Cogan, publisher of Green Car Journal, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "They were the first to meet the 1970 federal gas engine emissions without a catalyst, they had a near-zero-emissions gas engine for the Accord in the early 1990s, and now they're doing it with diesels."
Media coverage:
Honda Unveils 'Super-Clean' Diesel Engine -- Los Angeles Times
Honda shows cleaner next-generation diesel, fuel cell car -- Associated Press/San Jose Mercury News
Honda Clean Diesel is Coming -- Red Herring
Also read:
Sales of Honda's New Natural Gas-Powered Car Pick Up Speed as Fuel Prices Accelerate
New Tax Incentives and Benefits Make Hybrid Cars More Appealing than Ever
Traditional vs. Plug-in Hybrid Cars
All About Diesel Engines
The automaker also showed its latest fuel cell car, with a hydrogen fuel cell stack that is 20 percent smaller and one-third lighter than previous models, which enabled Honda engineers to design a sleeker, more streamlined car. Honda plans limited marketing of the new fuel cell car in Japan and the United States in 2008.
The problem with traditional diesel engines has always been their heavy emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a problem that has become more pronounced as nations worldwide have adopted tougher emissions standards and consumers have become more environmentally conscious. Ammonia can convert nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen, but U.S. regulators have been skeptical of systems that use a separate supply of ammonia, because eventually the supply will run out and consumers would have to remember to replace it.
A Breakthrough for Diesel Technology
Honda has designed an innovative catalytic converter for its diesel engine that converts part of the diesel exhaust into ammonia, and then uses the ammonia to convert NOx into nitrogen. As a result, Honda’s system is self-sustaining and could be the breakthrough that would make diesel engines attractive for use in the United States and other countries.
In a test at its research center in Japan, Honda demonstrated a four-cylinder diesel engine capable of taking an Accord sedan to speeds over 120 mph—with emissions comparable to gasoline-powered vehicles. But most experts estimate the fuel economy of diesel engines as 10 percent to 40 percent above that of gasoline engines, with most estimates averaging around 30 percent.
Can Diesels Compete with Hybrids?
That's still lower mileage than most hybrids claim, and consumers who purchase diesel cars are unlikely to enjoy the kind of tax benefits and other subsidies that some governments are offering hybrid owners. Given Honda's reputation for engineering, however, an innovative diesel engine from Honda that can deliver good mileage and performance with fewer emissions is bound to attract consumer attention.
"This is just what you'd expect from Honda," said Ron Cogan, publisher of Green Car Journal, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "They were the first to meet the 1970 federal gas engine emissions without a catalyst, they had a near-zero-emissions gas engine for the Accord in the early 1990s, and now they're doing it with diesels."
Media coverage:
Honda Unveils 'Super-Clean' Diesel Engine -- Los Angeles Times
Honda shows cleaner next-generation diesel, fuel cell car -- Associated Press/San Jose Mercury News
Honda Clean Diesel is Coming -- Red Herring
Also read:
Sales of Honda's New Natural Gas-Powered Car Pick Up Speed as Fuel Prices Accelerate
New Tax Incentives and Benefits Make Hybrid Cars More Appealing than Ever
Traditional vs. Plug-in Hybrid Cars
All About Diesel Engines
Comments
Al Gore and Bill Clinton knew about the global warming when they were in office. Why didn’t they do something about it at that time.,,instead of waiting until this administration to put up complaints.there is no question that global warming is occurring at a very rapid pace..but what is one to do about it? Does Mr Gore, Mr Clinton Pres.Bush know the answers? If so, please let us the world know about it..so corrections, if any, can be made now.
Global warming is get more and more day by day, and to avoide this issue we have to make hybrid cars for the world but the big powerful truck wiil take time to come because we are in the initial stage of the hybrid technology but many company come forward to resolve this mistry like the BMW,Toyota and now Honda.
As far as diesel power is concerned the diesel power is also very important too because too transport the goods in the cheaper way and diesel engine are very powerful as compare to the other fuel engine. so we have to make clean carbon diesel engine which produce neglegible amount of carbon by adding more and more filter in the sylencer
and the more fuel efficient injecter which reduce the fuel directing issue and engine can only burnt recquire fuel.
The little Geo was getting 50mpg 15 yrs ago. Are we making progress from there?
The engine on a hybrid actually gets less than 20mpg. As long as coal is supplying the electricity, hybrids put more CO2 (not to mention soot, acid, sulfur & heavy metals) into the air than a conventional engine.