The role of diesels and biodiesel in the 'age of electric vehicles'

September 12, 2012

BY Ron Kotrba

Have the biodiesel and diesel technology industries, two sectors that are inextricably bound, failed at getting their clean images to the average U.S. consumer?

According to some like Bill Isbister, the answer is yes. For years, Isbister has been promoting what he has dubbed the Motathlon, an intriguing spectator event that includes running, bicycling and—auto racing? That’s right. Imagine going to a race track, watching biodiesel-powered Volkswagens roaring through four or six laps, and then the drivers get out of their cars, strip off their racing suits and start running those same laps they were just tearing through in their cars. And then jumping on bicycles.

“Globally, motorsports has a huge following and America is part of this planet,” Isbister says. “The most efficient way to introduce clean tech and fuels to Jack and Jill Mainstream is on the racetrack.” Given Isbister’s Motathlon battle cry, and his startup of Cool Planet Racing and Club Biodiesel, it’s not surprising he believes this.

“The biodiesel industry and the green movement have failed miserably at this one,” he says. “When people see a car on track at speed they see this as a confirmation that something works. With our woefully underfunded racing program we did more to gain support that any number of [biodiesel] conferences. After our live televised first biodiesel drag run at Portland International Raceway in 2002, we were hearing from people from around the world within a day about this amazing ‘clean ‘n green’ fuel. We went on the road, to the classrooms—to the people—and converted a lot of them into believers.”

While Isbister may have a point, the biodiesel industry has had a strong connection with racing for quite some time. In fact, Isbister appeared in the very first issue of Biodiesel Magazine back in 2004, he authored a Talking Point column promoting his cause. The National Biodiesel Board gave Brent Hajek of Hajek Motorsports an award at last year’s national conference for breaking a land speed record in a biodiesel-powered 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty at the Bonneville Salt Flats using a mostly stock truck with a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8. The team achieved a speed of 171.123 mph on regular diesel and 182 mph on B20 biodiesel. A few years ago, I wrote a featured article called “Biodiesel-Powered Jetcar,” a cover story about a 10,000 horsepower jet-powered dragster, fueled by B20, owned and driven by Bill Braack. These are just a few of the many instances where racing and biodiesel have come together in our magazine, and in the industry.

Isbister says despite all of the time that has passed, many people still don’t know the simplest of information, such as the difference between ethanol and biodiesel.

But is racing the best way to get the biodiesel message to the average consumer? Those opposed to the sport of motor racing argue that it is an irresponsible, unnecessary use of natural resources.

Furthermore, is the average consumer who the biodiesel industry needs to target? After all, the “average” U.S. consumer drives a gasoline-powered passenger vehicle and if “Jack and Jill Mainstream” are in the market for a new, more efficient vehicle, chances are they are considering a hybrid or plug-in electric vehicle (EV)—not a diesel. Why?

Jessica Robinson, communications director for the National Biodiesel Board, says this is because there are roughly three times the number of hybrids and plug-ins available in the U.S. compared to clean diesels (according to hybridcars.com). “That’s three times the marketing,” she says. People are attracted to what’s new, Robinson says. “There’s definitely a novelty factor there,” she tells Biodiesel Magazine. “That’s the power of marketing to the consumer.”

Diesels have not found success in U.S. markets, according to Isbister, because of two stereotypical words bound together: “dirty diesel.” The average person doesn’t really know all of the work that has gone into cutting noxious emissions and boosting performance in diesels. Some who drive diesels outfitted with particulate traps and selective catalytic reduction to reduce NOx emissions by amazing amounts are frustrated—we’ve all heard the stories—with lost productivity due to idling while soot trap regeneration occurs, or finding urea stations so their SCR system works properly. There are even those who have so-called professionals cut these devices out of the exhaust stream and reconfigure the onboard diagnostics to work around them.

Advertisement

“Preconceived notions and lack of education,” says Isbister on why Americans don’t seem to embrace diesel autos as Europeans do. “EVs seem like a simple solution to our problems,” he says, “but like anything else, there are few simple solutions. Like any technology, there are warts with EV tech, they are far from the ‘perfect green solution’—maybe in the future, but not now. The entire infrastructure for clean diesel is now in place, climate change isn't waiting.”

Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, tells me hybrids and EVs are in the spotlight right now because, like Robinson says, new technologies generally always receive much more publicity than older existing technologies. “Remember the media coverage and interest in hybrids and hydrogen cars a decade ago?” Schaeffer asks. “The new electric vehicle technology is intriguing and many people are interested in how it can be applied in our transportation network.” What’s interesting, he points out, is that clean diesel technology is actually quite new too. “The new, cleaner, more efficient engines, the turbocharged engines, the diesel-electric hybrids, and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel have significantly improved the efficiency of new diesel cars while reducing emissions by over 90 percent. Remember, diesel cars are already 20 to 40 more efficient than gasoline cars so the turbocharging and hybrid additions to diesel technology are revolutionizing the diesel market.”

About 20 clean diesel autos and light-duty trucks are available in the U.S. today, Schaeffer says, “but the number of clean diesels will almost double in the next 18 months” with even more planned in the coming years. “Clean diesel cars are at the beginning of a diesel renaissance in America,” he adds. “A recent Pike Research study projects that growth of diesel light-duty vehicles will be especially strong in North America, with annual sales expected to increase from 282,000 vehicles in 2012 to 928,000 by 2018.”

He says the U.S. diesel market is “ready to take off in a big way.” More than 15 new clean diesel cars will be introduced in America in the next two years.  You will also see clean diesel-hybrid automobiles that will offer astounding mileage and low emissions. 

Peugeot has diesel-electric hybrid passenger vehicles available in Europe, and Kevin Jones, the public relations manager for Peugeot Motor Co. Plc, tells Biodiesel Magazine that all Peugeot HDi diesel engines are able and compatible to operate on a mixture of biodiesel—“clearly the ratio is important,” he says, “we have 5 percent [limit] here in the U.K. and they can run up to 20 percent in some, albeit arduous servicing is a requirement to ensure our reputation of durability is maintained.” When asked when U.S. consumers might see a similar model, Jones says, “There are sadly no plans for them to be made available to the U.S. market, sorry.”  

In the U.S., sales of clean diesels increased by 34 percent in 2011 and are up by 27 percent in 2012, Schaeffer says. “Despite some volatility in the auto market, clean diesel auto sales have increased in 22 of the past 23 months with double-digit increases in 20 of those months. And diesel auto sales increased by more than 30 percent in 12 of these months. Individually, sales of the Audi TDI diesel models in June made up 64.8 percent of overall Audi A3 models and 37.1 percent of overall Audi Q7 sales.  Sales of Mercedes’ BlueTEC diesel models in June were up 50.3 percent for the year compared to the same period last year. And sales of Volkswagen’s Passat TDI clean diesel accounted for 21 percent of the sedan's sales in June.  As more diesels are being introduced, Americans are taking notice.”

So what advantages do clean diesels have over EVs? According to Schaeffer, EVs cost significantly more than clean diesel cars. Also, there is an extremely limited infrastructure for EVs to recharge away from home.  You can refuel a diesel car in a few minutes while many EVs need several hours to recharge.  And because of the limited battery charge and infrastructure, EVs often have a limited range.

“In August, the National Petroleum Council issued its report to the U.S. DOE on the future of alternative fuel vehicles in the U.S.,” Schaeffer says. “They found that there’s a long road ahead for alternatives like natural gas and EVs because it will cost tens to hundreds of billions of dollars to provide similar alternative fuel availability as the current gasoline infrastructure—and it will take decades to fully deploy.”

What can the diesel industry do to promote its cleaner image more effectively?

“The clean diesel story is a very good one, a very positive one,” Schaeffer says. “It’s a story of an industry working cooperatively and productively with federal and state agencies, and environmental and health organizations to create an environmentally friendly and efficient product.  But because diesel cars have not been a priority for auto makers the past 20 years, this story has not really been told to the American public.  Everyone knows how clean hybrids are because of national advertising campaigns.  Now that clean diesels are reemerging in the U.S. market, the clean diesel story will be told by several different companies. I think American drivers are going to like what they hear.”

Advertisement

And on that note, what can the biodiesel association do to work even more closely with organizations such as the Diesel Technology Forum, to promote these two intimately bound groups? “There’s a great opportunity to do more with the Diesel Technology Forum,” Robinson says. “We’re in midst of working with them on how to expand our partnership, they’ve got great information on their website, we can share links to their information.” These are small steps, she says, but there are larger ways to cooperate, including more event participation, increased dialogue and more.

While Schaeffer is a diesel advocate, he still believes EVs have a positive future in the U.S. “In order to reach the federal government’s new fuel efficiency standards I think most auto makers will offer a wide variety of autos—clean diesels, diesel hybrids, EVs, gasoline hybrids, natural gas and hydrogen,” he says. “There is no one magic technology that will get us there and the needs or American drivers are vastly different throughout the country and some technologies are better suited for each individual driver.”

But does the average consumer know what biodiesel is? A few years ago, the National Biodiesel Board published a study conducted by Moore Information in which it found that biodiesel awareness tripled from 2004 to 2009. In 2009, 86 percent of people heard of biodiesel compared to just 27 percent in 2004. The internet-based survey sampled a representative group of registered voters. In 2004 only 8 percent of people were familiar with biodiesel, in 2009 it was 48 percent. The survey also demonstrated that people's view of biodiesel is widely positive. Also, 80 percent of consumers said they would use the fuel, which is more than ever before.

While it appears the average consumer knows more about biodiesel today than he or she did nearly a decade ago, is this enough?

Robinson says even though the National Biodiesel Board has been monitoring consumer awareness of biodiesel for a decade and a half, the Advanced Biofuel Initiative, the NBB’s biggest campaign to date coming in at an annual cost of $3 million, isn’t targeting “the average consumer” but instead a more specific audience; those who are most likely to define America’s energy decisions—the deciders, if you will. The campaign has worked to define biodiesel as an advanced biofuel to this select group by advertising on public affairs shows and marketing to Mid-Atlantic states. “The result was a six point jump,” she says.

Increasing awareness is a big part of the NBB’s mission, but make no mistake—supporting the federal renewable fuel standard is the organization’s No. 1 priority. Isbister, however, takes issue with this. “First up, you don't 'promote' a product with a mandate,” he says. “You need to sell the concept first. The B5 mandate in Oregon went over like a lead balloon with a lot of uninformed people. They saw it as big, green government. Pushing a mandate like this, even though it is correct, is heavy-handed. ‘Biodieselers' in the inner sanctum didn't see things that way. … And so here we are in 2012 and most people don't know ethanol from biodiesel and with the drought, here comes the food versus fuel issue again. That’s not progress.”

On a different note, it should not be forgotten that diesel power runs global commerce. Ships, barges, tankers, trains, over-the-road trucks, tractors, combines, tandem trucks, generators, logging and construction equipment are all powered by diesel. With the relatively modest penetration of biodiesel into these vast markets, does it benefit the biodiesel industry for the average person to become more aware of the benefits of diesel and biodiesel? In some sense it may, considering “average people” make fueling decisions for these fleets of cargo haulers that carry the world’s goods from one place to another. Robinson says when NBB outreach personnel attend conferences, they focus on the green fleet shows to target those who could implement biodiesel use on a grander scale. NBB has worked with the railroads in getting B20 acceptance there. And of course, NBB has done a great amount of work in getting engine OEMs, the truck makers, on board with biodiesel, an effort not to be overlooked. When OEMs approve varying concentrations of biodiesel, then fleet operators will find more comfort in using biodiesel and not worry about breaching warranties.

Robinson also astutely points out that many companies consumers choose to use every day—whether it’s Fed Ex to ship packages or Disneyland for a family vacation—are great champions of biodiesel. “So the story begins to fit together,” she says.

Biodiesel also has a great opportunity in developing countries—where diesel generators supply reliable power to the citizens who would otherwise be without, and where advanced emissions aftertreatment systems aren’t outfitted on trucks and buses—to help clean the air. “Diesel does run global commerce, and a lot of the petro running it, particularly in developing countries, is pure poison,” says Isbister. “The combination of 20th century clapped out machinery and this fuel is a driving force for climate change and health issues. The vehicles aren't going away, so the quickest way to mitigate the damage is to improve the fuel being poured in—and that's where biodiesel could come in.” Schaeffer says, “Diesel’s popularity has grown significantly in emerging nations like India, which has a well publicized electrical grid issues. Some cities in China are proposing to offer subsidies for diesel car purchases to increase the percentage of diesels for environmental reasons. In its first month of sales in February, more than 70 percent of Mazda sales of its new CX-5 sport-utility vehicle were diesels. With sales growth like this, biodiesel can play an important role in reducing emissions. Using B20 reduces emissions of particulate matter (i.e., carcinogenic soot) by 10 percent, CO2 by 15 percent and unburned hydrocarbons by 21 percent. … And you also have to consider the widespread use of diesel generators in India, Africa and China and how biodiesel can reduce emissions in the larger urban communities.”

And for those who think EVs are the global wave of the great green future, Isbister says, “Where do you go to find a charging station in Nairobi, or in any city in the Third World? And it's going to be that way for a long time, there's no infrastructure.” 

 

Upcoming Events

Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Advertisement

Advertisement