Questions about diesel fuel for vehicles

Transferred from an automotive forum; the original poster can take a look – it might help clarify your doubts! Analysis of the reasons why China should be cautious about vigorously developing diesel cars. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion regarding the need for China to develop advanced diesel cars on a large scale. Not only have the media paid close attention to this, but many multinational companies have also joined forces with relevant organizations to hold forums, emphasizing the numerous benefits that advanced diesel car technologies can bring to China in terms of energy conservation and emission reduction. The reporter has at hand a \"Proposal for Accelerating the Development of Advanced Diesel Cars (Draft)\)\" jointly prepared by organizations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers of China, the Development Research Center of the State Council, and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, which puts forward earnest expectations and requirements for the active development of diesel cars. What type of engine technology should be developed to reduce energy consumption and emissions is a technical issue, and experts have varying opinions on it. What concerns journalists greatly is that, in the current industrial environment, this is not only a technical issue but also a question of choosing a technical approach, one that has implications for industrial security. We have a series of questions: Why are multinational companies so keen on advocating for China to vigorously develop advanced diesel cars? In the United States and Japan, where the automotive industry has been developing for many years and is highly mature, why have diesel cars not become widespread to this day? What are the fuel efficiency ratios for diesel engines in Europe, the United States, and Japan? Is it economical to develop diesel cars in a situation where diesel prices are higher than gasoline prices? Will the challenges related to emission control in diesel cars offset their advantage of lower fuel consumption? The lack of advanced technologies for key automotive components has limited our ability to influence decisions. Currently, in terms of gasoline engines, we are striving to catch up and have already achieved some results. In terms of diesel engines, we have more shortcomings compared to developed ** countries. Giving up a field in which we have expertise and entering one in which we have even less advantage leads to only one outcome: having to unconditionally purchase the technology from multinational companies and being completely controlled by them. Therefore, whether to vigorously develop diesel cars is a very urgent issue that requires immediate and thorough discussion within the industry, in order to draw the attention of relevant parties and prompt them to think deeply about it. The reporter interviewed six experts, and the following are their different views. We also hope that our readers will actively participate in the discussions and offer their suggestions. 　　Luo Yi: There should be no discrimination against diesel vehicles. **Deputy Director of the Science, Technology and Standards Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Clean and environmentally friendly diesel cars are ideal means of transportation; the economic efficiency of diesel cars along with their lower greenhouse gas emissions are goals we strive to achieve. At present, the emission control level for diesel vehicles in our country is relatively low, and the pollution caused by diesel vehicles remains one of the main factors contributing to urban air pollution. To strictly control particulate and nitrogen oxide pollution from diesel vehicles, the Ministry of Environmental Protection will promptly establish National V and National VI emission standards for light-duty diesel and gasoline vehicles, gradually bringing light-duty diesel and light-duty gasoline vehicles under the same standard limits. Moreover, clean and environmentally friendly diesel cars require high-quality ultra-low-sulfur diesel. Due to the restrictions on the ‘fuel-to-oil ratio’ during refining, it is impossible for China to have an increased supply of high-quality diesel for use in cars in the short term, unless it imports diesel; this will constitute a bottleneck in the development of diesel-powered cars in China. The goal for controlling pollutant emissions from diesel vehicles in our country is to reach a level equivalent to Europe’s Stage II emission control standards by 2004 ； In 2008, strive to achieve emission control levels equivalent to those of Europe’s Stage 3 ； Strive to align with international emission control standards after 2010. With the development of diesel vehicles and diesel engine technologies, no discriminatory policies should be applied to diesel vehicles that are technologically advanced, have low pollutant emissions, good performance, and meet **and local emission standards. Feng Fei: We need to accelerate the development of diesel cars. Head of the Industrial Economics Research Department at the Development Research Center of the State Council. In developing energy-saving and environmentally friendly vehicles in our country, we should adhere to one principle: they must contribute to energy conservation and sustainable development, be environmentally friendly, not affect food security, be competitive from an economic and technical standpoint, and have accessible infrastructure. Increasing the proportion of modern diesel engines can reduce emissions of CO2, CO, and HC, which is of great significance for the protection of the atmospheric environment, especially for future air quality preservation. Although increasing the proportion of modern diesel vehicles compared to advanced gasoline vehicles with the same emission standards raises NOx and PM emissions, the negative environmental impact of these increased emissions is minimal due to the significant reduction in emissions from modern diesel vehicles. The quantitative analysis shows that the increase in PM and NOx emissions resulting from the rise in the proportion of modern diesel vehicles in 2020 accounted for only 0.3% and 1.9% of the total national PM and NOx emissions, respectively. Furthermore, the increased PM and NOx emissions can be offset by accelerating the phasing out of old diesel vehicles with high emissions. Regarding the policy measures to promote the development of energy-saving and environmentally friendly vehicles in our country, first and foremost, it is necessary to recognize that diesel cars represent one of the main technical approaches for developing such vehicles. Secondly, accelerate the formulation of standards for vehicle diesel, strengthen supervision, and encourage the production and import of high-quality diesel. Third, accelerate the independent innovation of advanced diesel technologies in our country. Fourth, establish fiscal and tax incentive policies to encourage the production and consumption of advanced diesel vehicles, introduce a fuel tax as soon as possible, and implement differential vehicle taxes based on fuel efficiency. Fifth, advocate the purchase of diesel cars to foster a public awareness of scientific consumption. Sixth, accelerate the preferential development of diesel taxis in certain cities. Zhang Suixin hopes for the promotion of advanced diesel engine technology in China. Executive Vice President of Volkswagen Group (China), Ph.D. Compared to modern gasoline engines, the use of advanced diesel engines can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% to 30%. Therefore, we highly hope that the latest diesel engine technologies will receive widespread attention in our country and be promoted for use. In Europe, over 50% of newly registered cars currently come equipped with advanced diesel engines. In the future, the market share of diesel cars will continue to grow in Europe. This is because the development of emission control technologies enables modern diesel engines to meet the world’s most advanced current and future emission standards. Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming urgently require a rapid reduction in CO2 emissions. Compared to gasoline, diesel can reduce CO2 emissions by about 33% throughout the entire process, from crude oil extraction and processing to use. Considering manufacturing costs and price advantages, we believe diesel cars represent a mature, cost-effective solution that can be widely adopted quickly. Only such technologies that can be rapidly widespread and made available to more consumers can truly achieve the goals of energy savings, reduced consumption, and lower emissions. Taking the 60,000 Volkswagen Jetta diesel taxis launched in the Chinese market as an example, compared with gasoline taxis of the same class, their average fuel consumption dropped from 9–10 L/100 km to less than 6 L. For taxis, the monthly savings on fuel costs of around 1,500 yuan have made it very popular. If further popularized, diesel vehicles will bring significant energy-saving benefits. Li Dadong: It is difficult to ensure an adequate supply of diesel. Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chairman of the Academic Committee at the Research Institute of Petrochemicals of Sinopec. The issue of diesel-powered cars has been discussed for a long time. In terms of oil supply, there are two key factors: quality and quantity. In terms of quality, oil products must be clean and environmentally friendly. China’s automobile industry has developed rapidly, and its fuel products have evolved in parallel. Compared to developed ** countries, we still have a gap at present, but our development speed is very fast. Currently, the vehicle emission standard implemented in Europe is Euro IV, and the same standard (National IV) is also in use in Beijing. Europe will implement Euro V in 2009, and Beijing will implement Euro V (National V) around 2010, roughly in sync with Europe. Shanghai and Guangzhou are also advancing new emission standards at a rapid pace. Nationwide, development is progressing step by step. In terms of oil production technology, whether it is Euro IV or Euro V standards, China’s petroleum industry possesses its own developed technical capabilities, and its technical level is on par with that of major international oil companies. In terms of the two key factors restricting diesel supply—quality and quantity—there is no capacity issue in China’s petroleum industry. However, to raise diesel quality and production to new levels, substantial investment is required, as well as appropriate policy support and a sound market environment. In other words, it is necessary to **adopt a set of comprehensive strategic measures**. For example, to increase diesel production, the current price is a constraint, as diesel is much cheaper than gasoline. According to the Sinopec News, Sinopec has recently decided to make every effort to produce more diesel in order to meet the needs of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, covering any shortfall with imported diesel. Currently, the price of importing 1 ton of diesel is at least 2,000 yuan higher than the price of 1 ton of diesel sold in the domestic retail market. CNPC has taken similar measures as well. State-owned enterprises must make sacrifices for the benefit of society; it is their responsibility and duty. Yet some local oil refining companies are reducing their diesel production. I believe that the development of diesel cars should be approached with caution for three reasons: first, the development of the automotive industry is a gradual process that requires time to improve technical standards. Secondly, addressing the emission problems of diesel vehicles is a gradual process that requires appropriate time. Third, the ratio of diesel to gasoline in our country is already quite high; to increase this ratio further, various measures and supports will be required. Wang Jianxin: Gasoline engines using compression ignition technology are also fuel-efficient. Professor and Ph.D. supervisor at the Department of Automotive Engineering at Tsinghua University, as well as chairman of the Fuel and Clean Fuels Subcommittee of the Chinese Society of Internal Combustion Engines. One of the main reasons why countries with advanced automotive technology such as the United States, and those with even more strained energy supplies like Japan, do not pursue the development of diesel cars is the increasingly strict emission regulations, which make it difficult for diesel engines to meet these requirements. Currently, the major automobile-producing countries are working on improving the fuel efficiency of gasoline engines, and solutions have already been found; a breakthrough is likely to be achieved within three to five years. The emissions of gasoline engines are easy to control; with compression ignition technology, they can be fuel-efficient just like diesel engines. Why invest heavily in developing diesel cars? I believe that at present, our country should proceed cautiously with the development of diesel cars; diesel engines can develop fully in areas other than cars. Zhuang Renjun: Stricter emission standards are detrimental to diesel cars. Associate Professor (retired) at the Department of Automotive Engineering, Tsinghua University; Head of the Key Laboratory for Automotive Safety and Energy Efficiency. Currently, European cars use particle traps as exhaust after-treatment devices to meet the requirements of Euro IV emission regulations. If emission regulations continue to become stricter, it will be difficult for such after-treatment devices to meet the new requirements, and SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction after-treatment devices) will need to be used. This engine after-treatment system is bulky and not suitable for use in cars. Another point that deserves attention is the ongoing international discussions regarding the standardization of emission regulations for gasoline and diesel vehicles. The most discussed topic is the prior unification of the four emission standards for CO, HC, NOx, and PM. Moreover, light vehicles are standardized toward gasoline engines, while heavy vehicles are standardized toward diesel engines. Currently, under the same emission standards, the emission requirements for diesel engines are more lenient than those for gasoline engines. If these standards are unified in the future, the requirements for diesel engines in cars will become even stricter, which is more disadvantageous for diesel-powered cars. More importantly, whether diesel cars can develop ultimately depends on whether the market is willing to accept them in order to prevent air pollution from oil and gas; no amount of forced implementation will help – it depends on what consumers want. In my opinion, whether considering emission regulations or the development trends in automotive technology, our country does not have the conditions to develop diesel cars on a large scale; it is not the right time to do so now.

Domestic diesel engines are not good; many high-end cars abroad are diesel-powered