What do we know about Diesel?

I was having a drink with Chris Will, a Scottish engineer married to a local, and he told me something about diesel what surprised me quite a bit. He said there are more cars using diesel in Europe than petrol. Diesel is a lot more efficient and a lot cleaner. The problem with our diesel here is the high level of sulphur in them.

So as not to have a true blue local Malaysian Chinaman being hoodwinked by a Mat Salleh, I checked up on his claims.

Here, please find an article I lifted off Malaysiakini written last month. So this "kwelo" Chris person do know a bit of stuff afterall.


Insidious reason behind anti-diesel policy

Ganesh Jul 2, 08 4:35pm

Petronas should stick to their specialisation of oil and gas instead of venturing into other non- related areas such as setting up hospitals or philharmonic orchestras. Investing in motorsports and F1 was viable because it was fuel-related.

Instead of investing in hospitals, Petronas should be investing in efforts to provide cleaner diesel and also promote diesel car usage. Why isn't the Malaysian government promoting diesel cars? In Europe, for every petrol car sold, three diesel cars are sold.

Why? Because diesel is a much cleaner fuel than petrol and also, surprisingly, a very efficient fuel giving nearly twice the kilometre.

Malaysians used to believe diesel cars were dirty because old lorries and old taxis used them. But that was the diesel engine of yesteryears.

Today, the diesel engine - especially the turbo diesel(TDi) car engines - produce higher bhp (more power) than a similar petrol car engine, as well as being a much cleaner fuel than petrol. In other words, it has much lesser emissions than petrol, while at the same time giving far more mileage than its petrol engine counterpart.

It is now proven by all European governments that modern car turbodiesel engines (Euro 3 and Euro 4 standards) are more efficient and less polluting (CO emission per km) compared to similar vehicles with similar petrol engine capacity. Nearly all European car manufacturers are now pushing for more diesel engines. Even Honda and Toyota produce very efficient small and large cc diesel engines.

Why are the current diesel cars in Malaysia emitting thick black smoke? Firstly, because the engines in them are about 10 to 20 years old. On the newer engines, like the Mercedes 320 Cdi and BMW 530d, don't blame the vehicles, blame the dirty diesel if you still see thick black smoke. Our diesel has a heavy sulphur content and it is this sulphur that causes a car to emit thick black smoke.The diesel engine car is very efficient. So, now, if you spend RM100 and it gave you about 400 kilometre, with diesel, you spend the same RM100 (assuming diesel and petrol are the same price) and you get about 700 to 800 kilometres of mileage.Why isn't Petronas or the government promoting cleaner diesel and also diesel cars?

If the government is sincere about helping the rakyat and alleviating the hardship of the rakyat, it should promote a fuel that gives nearly double the mileage.

At least, with the same amount of money spent for fuel, the rakyat will get nearly double the mileage with a diesel car.

Unfortunately, Petronas is not spending money on providing a cleaner diesel which conforms to EU standards but prefers building a hospital.

Has Malaysian diesel's sulfur content been reduced yet? There were plans to conform to Euro 2 standards (500ppm sulfur compared to 3000ppm currently) but I am not sure whether it has been implemented.

Singapore and Thailand have conformed to Euro 2 for years, and have now progressed to Euro 3 and eventually to Euro 4 standards. Euro 4 standards, which is the current standard in the whole of EU, have much lesser emissions than even petrol!

It looks like our government, since it owns Petronas, and has a substantial stake in Proton, is only promoting the usage of petrol and petrol cars for and by the general public. Who suffers? The rakyat does. If one has a diesel car, at least whatever he spends now on petrol, he will get nearly double the mileage. To make matters worse, the road tax on diesel cars are much higher, a sign to discourage diesel cars and the usage of diesel by the general public.

Is the government encouraging the rakyat to use more fuel ie petrol?

Is it because if we use diesel, we will be using lesser fuel (for we get more mileage), thus, we will buy lesser fuel, and this in turn will result in lesser revenue for Petronas? And in return, Petronas will pay lesser dividends and company tax to the government?

Petronas, Perodua and Proton, the three P's should start promoting diesel cars and diesel fuel to lessen the burden of the suffering rakyat.

Well, if it is really a fact that the Malaysian government is subsidizing 30 cents of every litre of petrol, then the allegation that they are "encouraging the rakyat to use more petrol" may seems rather contradictory.