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FAQ – Clean Diesel
You have questions on clean diesel? We hope you’ll find the answer in the list below. If you don’t, drop us a note here, and we’ll be pleased to answer it.
What is Clean Diesel?
Is clean diesel available everywhere?
Is there more than one clean diesel technology?
Why is clean diesel called “clean”?
Does diesel still give off a strong smell?
Does diesel still produce black smoke?
Diesel is a bit performance-challenged, isn’t it?
Why does diesel cost more than regular gas?
Why does diesel give better mileage?
Is it still hard to start a diesel engine in cold weather?
Is it still better to let a diesel vehicle’s engine idle rather than restart?
How does a diesel engine work?
USLD, ULEV, CAFE, etc.: what do they mean exactly?
What is TDI Clean Diesel technology?
What are the main benefits of TDI Clean Diesel?
What are the main characteristics of the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel?
How much fuel does a Jetta TDI Clean Diesel consume?
How many kilometres can a Jetta TDI Clean Diesel go on a single tank?
How much CO2 does a Jetta TDI Clean Diesel produce?
Can biodiesel be used in the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel?
How can I compare my present fuel consumption with that of the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel?
Is TDI Clean Diesel considered green technology?
Does TDI Clean Diesel offer better performance than hybrids?
Is TDI Clean Diesel technology more expensive than hybrids?
What Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel models are sold in Canada?
What is Clean Diesel?
It can be one of two things.
First, it’s diesel fuel that has had practically all its sulphur removed. Clean diesel contains 15 ppm of sulphur; old diesel fuel could contain as much as 15,000 ppm!
It is also used to describe the depolluting technology of new diesel engines.
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Is clean diesel available everywhere?
In Canada, all retailers offer clean diesel fuel and no other type of diesel. In the United States, although some retailers are now offering clean diesel, its distribution will only be widespread after December 1, 2010.
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Is there more than one clean diesel technology?
There are currently two clean diesel technologies. The first, EGR (Exhaust Gas Reduction), is the one used in the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel. The second, SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction), is used in other clean diesel vehicles currently sold and will be the fuel for the future Touareg TDI Clean Diesel from Volkswagen.
More details here
Watch a video here for more information
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Why is clean diesel called “clean”?
It’s called clean because it contains almost no sulphur (i.e. 15 ppm compared to the 15,000 ppm of old diesel fuel!), thus eliminating practically all emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx).
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Does diesel still give off a strong smell?
Thanks to the low sulphur content of clean diesel fuel and the TDI’s nitrous oxide storage catalyst, that diesel smell is almost all gone.
See other diesel myths here
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Does diesel still produce black smoke?
Smoke (mostly made up of soot) has disappeared thanks to the TDI’s particulate filter, which stores it and burns it when necessary.
Diesel is a bit performance-challenged, isn’t it?
Of all the myths that surround diesel, the one about it being lazy and unresponsive is the most difficult to overcome. This is quite surprising given it offers surprisingly powerful torque at low revs. Louis-Alain talks about it here.
Then there’s the fact that the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel has its own race and that more recently the Touareg TDI was the first diesel vehicle to win a first (and second) place at the Dakar Rallye. This is surely enough to convince the skeptics about diesel’s new muscle 
.
See other myths here
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Is diesel still noisy?
Noise is often mentioned as one of the disagreeable traits of diesel. Once again, technology has come to the rescue. The new generation of diesels make a sound all their own, but the noise level isn’t louder than a gas engine.
See other myths here
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Why does diesel cost more than regular gas?
Although diesel was cheaper than regular gas, the situation has recently changed due mainly to greater demand, limited refining capacity, and Western Canadian refineries having temporarily shut down diesel production.
Why does diesel give better mileage?
Three reasons: the fuel contains more energy than regular gas, the engine cycle is more efficient, and torque is greater at low revs.
Is it still hard to start a diesel engine in cold weather?
Now, starting a modern diesel is not much different than it is with gasoline engines. More details here.
Is it still better to let a diesel vehicle’s engine idle rather than restart?
No. Letting the engine idle is useless, wastes fuel, and pollutes. Better to restart.
How does a diesel engine work?
Everybody has something to say about diesel engines, but few people really know what the difference is between a regular gas engine and Rudolf Diesel’s creation.
USLD, ULEV, CAFE, etc.: what do they mean exactly?
The technologies associated with sustainable driving have names that are sometimes hard to decipher. So we’ve produced a short glossary of green terms as they apply to cars, with an explanation of the most common terms found on blogs dealing with the subject.
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What is TDI Clean Diesel technology?
For those whose knowledge of cars is limited, let’s just sum it up by saying that the exclusive Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel is an engine coupled with a turbocharger that benefits from a direct injection system that injects fuel directly into the cylinders’ combustion chamber.
What are the main benefits of TDI Clean Diesel?
In addition to TDI Clean Diesel engines being solidly built and offering better fuel economy, they also pack more fun to drive and they’re more eco-friendly.
What are the main characteristics of the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel?
Four characteristics are especially important:
- More power and torque. With its 140 horses, the new Jetta TDI Clean Diesel offers 40% more power and 32% more torque than its 2006 predecessor.
- Better fuel economy. Government of Canada EnerGuide consumption estimates are de 6.8L/100 km (city) and 4.8L/100 km (highway).
- Ultra low emissions thanks to a catalytic converter, particulate filter and a nitrous oxide storage catalyst.
- The most affordable clean diesel vehicle offered in Canada.
How much fuel does a Jetta TDI Clean Diesel consume?
According to Government of Canada EnerGuide estimates, the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel consumes 6.8L/100 km (city) and 4.8L/100 km (highway).
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How many kilometres can a Jetta TDI Clean Diesel go on a single tank?
The Jetta TDI Clean Diesel having a 55L fuel tank and an estimates consumption of 4.8L/100 km (highway) according to Transport Canada, it is theoretically possible to drive 1100 km on a single tank. Of course, road conditions, the state of the vehicle, and driving behaviour are all factors that will all have an effect on distance covered.
However, as already discussed on TDI Curious, some intrepid drivers have taken up the challenge, like those Australians who drove around the U.S. and beat a Guinness record (4.0L/100 km), or Mike Velemirovich who went non-stop from Halifax to Montreal to see a Canadiens game (4.8L/100 km), or that group that was able to drive from Toronto to Montreal and back on a single tank.
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How much CO2 does a Jetta TDI Clean Diesel produce?
The 2009 TDI Clean Diesel produces only 130 g/km of CO2 compared to 250 g/km for the average Canadian vehicle.
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Can biodiesel be used in the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel?
Use of B5 biodiesel is covered by the Volkswagen warranty.
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How can I compare my present fuel consumption with that of the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel?
you can control your vehicle with the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel by using our comparator right here.
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Is TDI Clean Diesel considered green technology?
Using the adjective « green » as it applies to sustainable mobility is a rather delicate matter. However, the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel has been awarded the title of 2009 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal. Ron Cogan, chief editor of the magazine, believes that “with its affordable price, precise handling and low fuel consumption, the Jetta TDI confirms that hybrids now have to face fierce competition in the marketplace.”
Furthermore the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel Wagon has been recognized by Natural Resources Canada as “the most fuel-efficient station wagon”: this is yet more recognition for Volkswagen’s technological contribution to sustainable mobility.
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Does TDI Clean Diesel offer better performance than hybrids?
Visit popularmechanics.com to see results of a comparative test between the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel and the Toyota Prius.
All the details here
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Is TDI Clean Diesel technology more expensive than hybrids?
The Globe and Mail has published a comparison between the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel and the future Honda Insight.
All the details here
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What Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel models are sold in Canada?
In addition to the 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel that has been available to Canadians for several months now, other models will soon be offered in a TDI Clean Diesel version. In the next months, we will see the introduction of the Touareg 3.0 Clean Diesel, the Golf TDI Clean Diesel (also offered in a Wagon), a new platform for the Jetta TDI as well as a new large sedan built in the United States.
Diesel urban myth no. 2: they just tool along
Of all the myths surrounding the diesel engine, the one that holds that diesel goes hand in hand with laziness and lack of responsiveness is the most difficult to demystify. How do you explain notions that are perceptible to the driver only once they slide into the driver’s seat? I’ll to try to do it here by supplying you with a few figures, knowing full well that they paint only a pale reflection of reality.
Diesel urban myth no. 1: they don’t start in the cold
The world of cars, like society in general, is not safe from certain urban myths, certain tenacious prejudices that can’t be got rid of. For example, some people still believe in planned obsolescence while others are convinced that adding a little bottle of liquid with anti-friction properties can extend the lifespan of their engine by hundreds of thousands of kilometres. Here, on TDI Curious, we do not intend to correct all these car myths, although this could be quite interesting, but we will try to rectify those that relate to diesels, and, secondarily, those that relate to responsible driving issues such as fuel economy and new technologies.
Diesel: Why does it get better mileage?
With every gas price hike, the popularity of diesel vehicles gains momentum. It’s no surprise, given their better fuel efficiency. But why exactly are diesel engines more efficient than gas engines?
Everything you believed about diesel engines but will no longer mention after reading this post
Curiously, when I mention the arrival in Canada of the new diesels to my buddies, I get the same responses without fail: those who have already driven in Europe are delighted, and those who haven’t been so lucky wonder what’s so interesting about these noisy, smoky machines that are difficult to start in winter and whose performance is “adequate” at best. As a great lover of new technologies and destroyer of received wisdom, I then put on my hot-rod cap and give them an earful of something like the following lecture.
How does a diesel engine work?
Everybody has a few ideas about how diesel engines work, but in reality, very few people know exactly what the principles behind them are, or rather, what the major differences are between the offspring of Rudolf (Diesel) and that of Nikolaus-August (Otto), the father of the gasoline engine. So here is a brief snapshot of the similarities, which are many, and the differences between the two.
What is Clean Diesel?
Is it clean diesel or ‘cleaner diesel’? The market terminology is ULSD or Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. The basics of clean diesel are this:
- most of the sulphur content has been removed from diesel fuel
- ULSD contains a maximum 15 ppm sulphur content (the old diesel was about 15,000 ppm!)
- Sulphur is a lubricant and therefore petroleum refiners have had to add a lubricity agent (biodiesel can also act as a lubricant and is superior in all respects)
Torque and power: What’s the difference?
I am regularly asked to explain the difference between the power and the torque produced by the engines of our cars. Which is more important? The answer is (as for anything complex): it depends.
The two notions are inter-related and the distinction is subtle. Torque is the force of rotation that a motor is capable of producing. The more it produces, the better. This force is usually explained in pounds-feet, a unit that has the advantage of being easy to visualize: for example, 200 lb-ft is the force of rotation that produces a weight of 200 pounds at the end of a 1-foot lever, or a weight of 10 pounds at the end of a 20-foot lever, or any combination of weight and lever length that arrives at 200. The more torque an engine produces, the easier it is to move a car forward from a stop, transport people or pull a load, or climb a slope without slipping back.