"notbob" wrote in message
...
On 2010-11-13, Pete C. wrote:

RBM wrote:

It is liquid urea. All 2010 and newer diesel engines in the U.S. must
produce near zero emissions. To do this there are currently two methods.
One
method requires a wicked expensive filter, which, if it goes bad will
cost
the vehicle owner in the neighborhood of 3 thousand dollars, plus it
jacks
up the initial cost of the vehicle. The other method uses a separate
tank of
liquid urea, DEF, and injects it into the exhaust pipe causing a
chemical
reaction with the exhaust gases effectively neutralizing them. Currently
it's really expensive, but ultimately It'll probably cost around $3 per
gallon. On an average sized vehicle a five or six gallon tank should
last
for around 16000 miles.

Slight correction, 2007+ diesels have diesel particulate filters (DPF),
2010+ diesels have the UREA injection and selective catalyst reduction
*in addition* to the DPF. The UREA injection and SCR is supposed to also
help reduce the particulate generation so the DPF doesn't fill up and
require regeneration as often, but the DPF is still there. The DPFs are
also more like $1200 or so, not $3k, and the UREA is under $3/gal
already.

WOW! Anything to prevent wholesale adoption of a clean fuel
alternative.

BTW, what ever happened to BMWs promise to have a hydrogen powered car
on showroom floors in 2 yrs .....3 years ago!?

nb


If we had a practical "clean fuel alternative" we'd all be buying them