Has VW just killed the Diesel car?

[kwhelan 241]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/11883719/Volkswagen-scandal-could-kill-off-diesel-cars.html

Its certainly a possibility and there's going to be a lot more companies caught with cheating before this is finished

been some great articles about how the tax incentives basically steered corporate fleets into diesel and it rollercoastered

I'd got to the point of thinking the newer cars were actually better and would have considered a diesel myself

and now reading some of the claims of how poisonous the air is now in Britain because of the diesel cars is actually quite scary

There have been similar scandals in the US truck industry before where the trucks got dirty as the mileage went up, something to do with hours running and adjusting the lean fuel mixture so by the end of a long trip they were positively toxic.

[hybrid 1043]

I wouldnt go as far as to say it will kill of desiel cars. If everyone steps back for a second and looks at the scientific results that lead the US regulators to find out .. other vehicles tested where bang on what they said it was, including BMWs desiel tech. The problem is that VW have been really pushing ecodiesel thing and have been sprung lieing and false advertising. Air pollution has nothing to do with the VW debacle, and its funny how mainstream media are trying to cross relate different issues to make it look like the same thing.

[Michael. 2313]

Isn't this just proof of how obscene the emission regulations have become?

[hybrid 1043]

There had to be a cross over point. Emmisions standards = un-obtainible in certain circumstances. The only fix is fossel fuel technology isnt main stream. The time is coming for this as the masses switch to electric technologies. But im more worried about how substainible that is for New Zealand with already over subscribed hydro.

[lord_jagganath 421]

^ time to beef up the electrical grid, get an inter island grid connection that is beefed up, and fire up Huntly after converting it to burn rubbish, gang members, and politicians.

Edited September 28, 2015 by The Juggernaut

[gjm 3258]

^ time to beef up the electrical grid, get an inter island grid connection that is beefed up, and fire up Huntly after converting it to burn rubbish, gang members, and politicians.

Last I heard the plans were to shut Huntly...

Hopefully something like you suggest could be implemented. I don't know the design they used there, but turbines typically don't care what is burnt to run them. The issue may be getting sufficient heat from the (waste) material used if they move away from the design spec.

[Michael. 2313]

One of the Otahuhu power plants has just shut down last month, unit B I believe. That is the larger building with the short, wide tower.

I think the new power is from a geothermal unit way down in central North Island.

I really question the integrity of the NZ power network, it seems shody at the best of times, starting to overload systems in residential zones with high demand car chargers seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

The southdown plant is also going soon I read.

[kiwi328i 118]

VW just hurt the trust people have in them. If you didn't like them in the first place, then it doesn't really matter.

Diesel isn't going anywhere. Everyone is fibbing. If car reviewers cannot manage to get within cuue (how do you spell that anyway?) of achieving manufacturers fuel economy in the real world, I doubt they can achieve ANY of the emissions figures either.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out, key points to note are that again this is the US media and federal agencies attacking a foreign car maker (as they did with Toyota).

This time the greenies and other governments are starting to jump on the bandwagon and it is starting to hit other, un-related, car companies (BMW and M-B share prices dropped sharply).

My prediction is that this media frenzy greenie sh*t storm will reverse a whole load of governments initiatives on diesel, and make car efficiencies / emissions much, much tighter and fuller tested.

And any bullshit electric ideas will get more publicity and help then they deserve.

Fingers crossed the hydrogen fuel cell cars will make it to market off the back of all this.

[kwhelan 241]

Isn't the smelter about to be shutdown down south,I was under the impression that used a huge portion of our hydro, so doesn't that mean we will have excess hydro power and they won't have a ready buyer.

If the pollution figures get enough coverage, public perception will just follow just like with global warming bull. legislation and incentives can kill anything as has happened previously, the original electric car,watch (who killed the electric car) new Zealand's love affair with LPG

[lord_jagganath 421]

^ I thought that Tiwai Point had been renegotiated? and at 850MW, it certainly would not be a small amount that will be running through the powerlines. If it does come to pass, NZ will have plenty of redundancy as far as back up power is concerned, especially from Hydro power.. If the smelter goes, thay is.

[hybrid 1043]

Also Spark (New Zealands actual largets consumer of electricity) will be reducing copper landlines over the coming years to a much more efficient fiber.

I dont think we will see the cost savings passed our way however.

[kulgan 1042]

[Michael. 2313]

Real issues IMO are on other industry levels.

Why don't these f-ers talk about how cargo ships use cheaper heavy crude oil in international waters with nasty emissions like sulfur only to switch to 'nicer' grade oils in ports etc. They have levels of sulfur 2000x that of car regulations.

Think of how much these ships emit, 1000s of car emissions worth per X distance.

Their fuel consumption is just astronomical, 1,660 gal/hour for example (Emma Maersk)

[kingkarl 136]

Also Spark (New Zealands actual largets consumer of electricity) will be reducing copper landlines over the coming years to a much more efficient fiber.

I dont think we will see the cost savings passed our way however.

Spark's annual consumption was less than 200 GWH in 2014. Tiwai consumes ~5400 GWH per year - serviced mostly by Manapouri (~600MW)

Glenbrook steel mill, Kawerau pulp and paper and Fonterra round out the top 4.

[my_e36 43]

Looks like Bosch knew about this from way back in 2007.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1100245_bosch-knew-about-vws-defeat-device-in-2007?fbfanpage

And Audi cars are amongst the cheating cars (no big surprise being in the same group companies).

Given VW has just hired some big gun lawyers to represent them, it will be interesting to see how this whole thing will unfold.

[gjm 3258]

Spark's annual consumption was less than 200 GWH in 2014. Tiwai consumes ~5400 GWH per year - serviced mostly by Manapouri (~600MW)

Glenbrook steel mill, Kawerau pulp and paper and Fonterra round out the top 4.

There's been talk of closing Glenbrook Mill...

[hybrid 1043]

Spark's annual consumption was less than 200 GWH in 2014. Tiwai consumes ~5400 GWH per year - serviced mostly by Manapouri (~600MW)

Glenbrook steel mill, Kawerau pulp and paper and Fonterra round out the top 4.

Sounds like copper usuage has realllllly dropped.

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Spark's annual consumption was less than 200 GWH in 2014. Tiwai consumes ~5400 GWH per year - serviced mostly by Manapouri (~600MW)

Glenbrook steel mill, Kawerau pulp and paper and Fonterra round out the top 4.

Yip, up to 1100GwH at full noise, though something like 70% of that is offset by our CoGen plants.

There's been talk of closing Glenbrook Mill...

Lol, has been talked about many times in the past - the bit that hasn't made the media is that our Collective Agreement is up for renegotiation very shortly. Its hardly the first time the rumours have surfaced about threats to shut the place Granted, commodity prices and Chinese oversupply have changed the game fairly drastically but I wouldn't be running about crying "The sky is falling" just yet.

[richard 384]

Eco friendly light bulbs

[Michael. 2313]

LED street lamps

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Better living everyone!

[eliongater 718]

Better living everyone!

Ok then Wendy Meyer

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Cars are always targeted as they are thought to be the worst polluters in the towns and cities. Out of sight and out of mind applies to things like power stations, ships, steam trains, etc.

Push bikes for all...

[kiwi535 538]

^ time to beef up the electrical grid, get an inter island grid connection that is beefed up, and fire up Huntly after converting it to burn rubbish, gang members, and politicians.

and VW s