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Hi All:

___Eric and the team had a Bio/Veggie based diesel fuel group/booth at Hybridfest 2007 this past weekend and I am a little torn as to whether even more diesel promotion is warranted for HF2008. I spoke with the principals manning that booth and thought it was great that they were there. In fact, they offered me quite a bit of information that I was very excited to receive. I think it would be great to have a few of the more fuel efficient turbo-diesels appear (Honda’s 2.2l iCDTi in the Euro Civic, BMW’s 330d and maybe even an 08 Jetta 2.0 TDI) on the show floor next year. Hybridfest is mostly a hybrid experience by it very nature and mission and I do not know how the new cleaner diesels would integrate with it?

___While in Detroit at a Honeywell/APA turbo-diesel presentation a few weeks ago, I thought it was a great presentation and would be a great addition given a turbo-diesel can achieve similar FE out on the highway other then the fact the whole idea may not fit in with Hybridfest’s hybrid-centric theme? Just asking the question to the membership is all. I have already had a short discussion with Eric and those that attended the post-Hybridfest celebration at Culver’s in Madison last Sunday evening.

___It would be interesting if the Hybridfest team in its entirety would be interested in allowing Gold level sponsorship from a diesel-centric company (Honeywell) with some floor space allotted for future diesel automobiles and technology rather then the all-hybrid or Ethanol-centric ones as seen at this years Hybridfest 2007. It is your opinions that matter most wrt this question?

___Thanks in advance for all comments provided.

___Wayne

If E85 non-hybrid vehicles are allowed, then diesel vehicles should also be allowed as long as there is an emphasis on using bio-d instead of petrol-d.

If the emissions are as clean as a hybrid then I think it should be allowed. Turbo diesel has been around a long time yet it still has potential, but then again I saw more potential in petrol again. Mercedes has been able to make a turbo petrol engine that can achieve the same mpg as diesel.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/25/diesel-without-the-diesel-mercedes-benz-debuts-diesotto/

But then again it is HYBRIDfest so shouldn't every car there be a hybrid?

Perhaps you are not aware of the full name of the show...
It is "Hybridfest - A Hybrid Electric Car Show and More!"

Diesel is certainly part of the "..and More!" portion of the show.
As are
- electric cars
- electric bikes
- hydrogen vehicles
- compressed natural gas taxis
- PHEVs
- E85
- solar homes
- sassy t-shirts
- endangerd species groups
- Boy Scouts
- car sharing services
- rocket powered skates
- manure powered generators
- and anything else you can come up with that people might be interested in!

Is the name too limiting for people to understand there is MORE at Hybridfest?

Bring them in.

I believe that diesels could have a great future.

I was very impressed with the Hybrid bus that was there. We rode it to the BBQ. In addition to the ride, the driver was very well educated in the technology of the hybrid power plant as well as the ecological and financial benefits.
If I remember correctly, the diesel engine that operated at low rpm was only about a 5.0 litre compared to an 11 litre in a standard bus.

I think the efficient diesels would be a good fit. Hey, if we had those little euro-civic hatch things with the iCDTi I might just have gone for that instead.