Should We Switch to Diesel?

Most people in Europe prefer diesel over gas. But, this is not the case in the United States – here many people are still sticking to gas, and considering diesel a dirty fuel. However, this is not the case anymore, and the problem of diesel has been solved, making it one of the most desirable fuels. The first thing that goes in favor of diesel rather than gas is that diesel doesn’t cause so much carbon-dioxide emissions, and the second – diesel fuel is up to 40% more efficient. Still, Americans aren’t sure whether switching to diesel would be a smart option or not.

People who like the strength of a big car, but fuel efficiency of a smaller one have no doubt about picking diesel. So what are the reasons that could convince people to switch to diesel, without any embellishments or sugar coating?

Diesel is actually not much more expensive than gasoline in the United States. According to the most recent update given by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the highest price of gasoline is $2.8 per liter, while of diesel is $2.9. Considering all the advantages it has over gasoline, the price difference is negligible. Also, the fact is that gasoline is slowly running out, and diesel is here to stay, so at some not-so-distant point in the future, everyone might have to switch to diesel, whether they like it or not.

Diesel fuel is usually used for commercial vehicles, industrial generators and as heating oil, but with the rise in demand of this fuel for passenger vehicles, the price rises as well, which is one of the downsides of diesel fuel currently. However, the price would have to jump up to 30% in order for diesel to be less economic in the long run than gasoline.

Diesel is more efficient than gasoline. As already mentioned, diesel is up to 40 percent more efficient, which means spending up to 40% less of your money for the same mileage. This is the case because diesel contains a higher level of energy in the same amount of fuel as gasoline, which enables your car to spend less fuel for the same length it passes. The downside of diesel currently is that the diesel engines are more expensive, so it means that you will have to make that initial investment, but it will probably pay off, especially if you are using your car regularly and travel long distances often.

What doesn’t go in favor of diesel fueled engines when it comes to efficiency is the fact that, even though the engines have great strength, they cannot match gasoline powered ones in the speed they provide. But if you are choosing speed over efficiency and better fuel economy, then diesel really isn’t the choice for you. Otherwise, you should probably switch to diesel.

Diesel is greener than gasoline. Most of those toxic fumes that cars produce and we then have to breathe in come from gasoline engines, and that pollution is certainly something that can significantly damage your respiratory system and cause heart problems. On the other hand, the pollution in Europe has significantly decreased since a good number of people switched to diesel, which proves that it is less harmful than gasoline. So, if you want you and your children to breathe air that is less toxic, and you need to choose between diesel and gasoline – choose diesel. But if you can walk or ride a bike instead of driving, that would be an even better option.

Diesel engines can stand higher compression. They are built in such a way that allows them to run for a long time without breaking, which is not the case with gasoline powered engines. This means that your car will need fewer repairs than if it was fueled by gasoline. This also means that diesel is more dependable than gasoline, and that you will not have to be so scared of getting stranded on the road, provided that you do a check-up now and then and make sure that everything is fine. The fact that a car that runs on diesel is more dependable than the one that runs on gas makes your car easier to sell if you decide to make that step.

However, if you let your car run to its maximum, without maintaining it properly, when it breaks down you will need to pay more money for the repairs than you would need to pay if you had a gasoline engine. This is because diesel engines are more technologically advanced and the mechanic needs to be more skilled and professional in order to fix it.

Diesel is the fuel of the future. Gasoline is running out, but diesel is here to stay. Or biodiesel, which will actually be the main source of fuel in the later years. This fuel can be made from natural products such as corn, flowers, methane, soy, etc. As these materials are not threatened to disappear from the face of the earth any time soon, we won’t run out of biodiesel, and it pollutes the air so much less than gasoline. Finally, diesel technology is improving constantly, so diesel engines will soon be more efficient and of even lower emission – or no toxic emission at all. Therefore, you should definitely give diesel a chance.