Wrong, how? a 1.5litre Prius does 6′/100km an 1.9lit diesel, as golfies states does say 4’s 100km. The CO2 output from a Prius is i think 119g/km and 1.9 diesel is about the (Polo Bluemotion does 99g/km) So your hybrid is using 30 more fuel and produces about the same CO2.

Also you stated “Various studies have highlighted the harmful gases that a Diesel emits, not necessarily harmful for the environment… but more diretly to humans!”

Petrol contains 15 substances hazardous to health much as diesel does so don’t go thinking that it only diesel thats a killer.

If the Prius is so successful why don’t Toyata upgrade it. Why cos its not financially economical. They have sold about 1.1million in ten years. The Skoda Octavia has sold 1M in 3 years.

Laurie Sparke, an ex senior Holden engineer came out fighting in support of LPG this week. Maybe support and exposure of that type is what’s needed to lift LPG from its current status of cottage industry curiosity to something more mainstream and serious.

for one you see the power figure as a direct relation to a vehicles true speed and overall power,

and now you dont see that consumption is the big player in emissions.
do you know why diesel is more friendly to the environment?
because it has lower consumption.
diesel as a fuel is actually worse than petrol for its emissions when done on a Litre to Litre burnt comparison.
its the much better consumption of diesels that give it the “greener” credentials.
and then there is also the filters fitted to diesels now that also help.

i know i love to say it and ill say it again. LPG is where manufacturers should be investing a few dollars. LPG can deliver 8-10% better economy and power than petrol etc if it is set up on a dedicated engine rather than a conversion which makes for a compromise.

on a litre to litre comparison with burning LPG, LPG is roughly 50% better for the environment. it is the slightly higher consumption of LPG that sees mainly diesel peg it back, yet it is still better than Petrol and marginally better than diesel.
if someone spent just a little more time on LPG I’d reckon LPG would wipe the floor

also there wouldnt be the big problems with people fretting about oil supplies

Gee TP u don’t get out much do u? 20 years old and haven’t popped your cherry yet eh?

I thought I knew it all too when I was your age so I empathise.

To address what Im doing Golf as well, I car pool… I only drive on weekends and not much either.

and to be honest it isnt any silly green credentials that gets me onside, its the massive dollar savings!!!!!

i dont really care that LPG is 80-90% cleaner/better for our health than diesel and petrol. yes that is nice to think of it that way, but in the honest wrap up of how the world runs, every man only cares for himself.
i surely wouldnt be running LPG if it was still as clean as it is, yet 2 times the price of petrol. no one would. and why? because the world is dollar driven. the only way the government can change it is use a “Tax shepherd” to force people to where they want us.

the biggest thing for me when i buy a car is, is it great to drive, do i enjoy it, etc etc etc.
i would much rather drive a small diesel at half the purchase price. its gonna cost about the same to fuel as a hybrid and to be honest it will be about as clean as a hybrid for the environment (and lets not go splitting grams of Co2)

However we do our bit, there are shortcomings, whether it’s those listed above or in the manufacture and disposal issues of battery packs of hybrids or plugging into the mains for pure electric.

How do you do your bit?

Golf you nitpick oi, you say consumes oil but less of it… you are wrong, it consumes about the same oil as a petrol. Rough example, a hatch will consume 7L or so per 100kmk in petrol form, a Diesel will get say 5L at. So 30% less fuel consumption, but considering the 25% more oil required, its only a net effect of 5% less oil. Consider a hybrid and the difference is massive. I have no problems with Diesels in the very short term, but the problem is and people here dont seem to see it, is that manufacturers are now focusong on it as the environmental solution, the recent BMW add to this effect made be cringe. Total BS. Diesel is very short term, because it is better then a regular petrol engine, but as hybrids become more common they really will be obscelete, and I dont think its going to be long till this occur, within 10 years I believe.

Prius is Toyota’s cleverest car and I have a lot of time for it. I wouldn’t decry anyone for driving or owning one of those or these new Hondas on their environment credentials. I would hope that nobody would do the same with my decision to run a Golf Diesel. Yes, it consumes oil, but less of it.

But right now and for many years to come, every car is reliant on finite elements ripped from the ground, no matter how “green” their makers tout them to be. Will there be a world disposal site for battery packs in 2040?

WHY IS THIS SO….
1.Diesel is short term supply and short term answer
2.Electricity is medium to longer term answer

diesel is still better for the environment in terms of co2 emissions

Andrew.M the gimmick relates to its environmental credentials. Just like anti-toyota people said the Prius was a gimmick for the environment, because the likes of the 520d can match it. But sorry as Ive highlighted, in terms of the environment, the Hybrid is second only to hydrogen cell. Disesl is left faaaaaaar behind.