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Overview
Saving money on gas can be of special concern to a driver, especially those who prefer or need larger cars like sports utility vehicles. SUVs tend to have higher gas mileage than the standard car. A Consumer Reports finding in 2007 showed that the three "best" large SUVs for gas efficiency averaged 12 miles per gallon. With hybrid technology, many other car styles have seen dramatic increases in mileage, including diesel hybrids. Are there hybrid diesel SUVs? This article will explore and answer that question.
Hybrid Vehicles
A hybrid vehicle is loosely defined as a vehicle that relies on more than one source of energy for fuel. Most hybrids combine electrical power and other fuel like standard gasoline to switch sources in certain conditions. The Toyota Prius, for example, uses electrical batteries to power the engine when driven up to 35 mph. The 2008 Lexus GS, a luxury vehicle, gets 25 miles per gallon with a V-8 engine. BMW has created a hydrogen-hybrid engine that uses hydrogen to convert water into electrical power.
Diesel Power
A diesel-powered engine works almost the same as a standard gasoline engine. The biggest difference is that diesel engines directly inject fuel into the cylinders instead of first mixing it with air like a standard gas engine. They also use diesel fuel, which has a heavier mix of oil and a considerably different smell. Diesel fuel takes longer to combust, with a higher boiling point than water. Diesel fuel has a higher density rating than gas, making it more efficient. However, diesel engines tend to contribute more to smog than standard gas, although the Diesel Forum claims that "clean diesel" cuts the sulfur content by 97 percent.
Diesel Hybrid
Combining cost-cutting hybrid technology with diesel-fuel efficiency can seem like a technology dream for consumers. Yet it is a reality: diesel-hybrid engines exist. Diesel engines have mostly been used in large transport vehicles that are constantly in stop-and-go traffic as they load and unload goods. Diesel engines are also found in construction vehicles that don't drive very far yet power heavy equipment during lengthy periods of time. With diesel-hybrid technology, the diesel engine can charge batteries to provide energy that powers cars with 25 percent more efficiency. But diesel-hybrid engines in SUVs aren't yet available.
Student Development
The enticing efficiency concept of a diesel-hybrid SUV sparked interest in some students. In 2006, University of Wisconsin students were able to create a diesel-hybrid SUV during a science competition called Challenge X. They used the Ford Equinox as their base model. They developed a power train for the small SUV that increased the gas mileage from 20 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon for a cost between $3,000 and $5,000 at the time.
Concept Cars
Diesel-hybrid SUV concept cars were introduced during the Geneva '08 automobile show in Switzerland. BMW showed a diesel-hybrid SUV called the X5, claiming it could get 36 miles per gallon and can take the 5,000-lb. vehicle from zero to 60 in 8.9 seconds. The Actyon is an SUV by the Korean-run, Chinese-owned SsangYong car company. SsangYong also introduced a diesel-hybrid version at the Geneva '08 show. In April 2008, Ecogeek reported that the Mercedes-Benz company planned to create a 40-mile-per-gallon diesel-hybrid SUV. It would incorporate it into its Vision GLK BlueTec line of SUVs.
