Dodge 6.7 Cummins

[radman1]

This is the system that makes sense to me:
Mercedes-Benz - BlueTec® - The new SCR diesel technology
It is available on the 2007 and 08 E320. The obvious dowside is that I just ain't got $50 large to spend on a car.

Thanks for the link. Very interesting reading. However, I don't think I want to be the early user of urea. The initial cost per gallon of urea is going to be quite expensive. New technology, no distribution network, storage cost for stations, production of urea cost, initially low demand due to few diesels requiring its use etc. The initial headaches seems high. Improved fuel economy of 2-3% is marginal. Few more hp which is a plus. The storage tanks on the vehicles are 25+ gallons which seems huge to me. 300+ lbs more weight to carry. Freezes at cold temperatures. The europeans will force its adoption by placing higher taxes, fees and tolls on the older, nonurea based diesels.

 

[HappyCPE]

Radman, I suppose the high upfront costs for both the machine and the "AdBlue" urea will come down with time. I did notice you couldn't search for the additive in the USA, just in Europe... I guess you go to your local MB dealer to get some?

To steer the thread back a bit, everyone who adopts the new tech gets a bit of trouble. What gets me is that the current system for Ford, Dodge and GM doesn't look as good as MB's. I'd love to know why Daimler-Chrysler, soon to be just plain old Daimler, didn't even try to get their system into North America with Dodge. They have plenty of experience with diesels in Europe. Why did we get the dumb system, instead of the "incremental" don't-need-to-be-that-clean one?

 

[HappyCPE]

Renze -
How much do they charge for the AdBlue and how long does it last?
Thanks.

 

[radman1]

Radman, I suppose the high upfront costs for both the machine and the "AdBlue" urea will come down with time. I did notice you couldn't search for the additive in the USA, just in Europe... I guess you go to your local MB dealer to get some?

To steer the thread back a bit, everyone who adopts the new tech gets a bit of trouble. What gets me is that the current system for Ford, Dodge and GM doesn't look as good as MB's. I'd love to know why Daimler-Chrysler, soon to be just plain old Daimler, didn't even try to get their system into North America with Dodge. They have plenty of experience with diesels in Europe. Why did we get the dumb system, instead of the "incremental" don't-need-to-be-that-clean one?

The US currently doesn't need the urea injection system to meet the requirements because our emissions standards are lower here at this time than europe. I believe that europe already uses the DPF technology and urea is in addition to that technology. In 2010 the standards will be raised and probably see urea as another solution with the DPF. It would be impractical for the US automotive industry to use urea now because no stations would have the means or want to sell it in such low volume. Production costs will be higher with the urea injection, just the same as the DPF. You will paying for the new technology with the higher cost of producing the diesel systems that require urea. For example, pay 1k for the DPF and another 1K for the urea system plus the cost of maintenance and cost of urea. Add 2K to the price of a pickup diesel engine which already costs 5-6K. Makes the gas engine in a pickup look much more attractive (if it isn't already the more practical choice for most users). The diesel trucking industry will be the initial users and pickups will follow. I wonder when all diesels engines will start having DPFs or urea injection for construction equipment, CUTs etc...