cars

German engineer Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine in 1893. It was used extensively on ships for many years before it was adapted for use on land for trucks, trains, and other vehicles. It differs from a petrol engine because it does not have an intake valve or spark plugs. Compression heating of air forces fuel into a combustion chamber with high pressure where ignition occurs spontaneously due to heat from compression of air caused by rapid piston motion; no valves are required because the engine’s operation relies on high pressure alone to compress the air/fuel mixture. Because there is no spark plug to ignite the mixture, there are no problems with preignition (sparking too soon). Thus, this type of engine can be operated at any time as long as...

The Government announced in 2020 that the sale of brand new petrol and diesel vehicles would be banned by 2030.  Car manufacturers are unhappy with this and are arguing that they do not want this ban to come into place until 2035. This will allow them more time to research and develop new electric-only vehicles. This ban does not just affect petrol and diesel cars, it also affects hybrid vehicles which use both petrol and battery power as a source of fuel. Second-hand sales of petrol and diesel cars will continue after 2030 as the ban only affects brand new vehicles. Technology such as AdBlue and diesel particulate filters (DPF) are designed to filter out the soot particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions that have been linked to ill health....

One important question in a car buyer’s mind is bound to be, “Do I get a petrol or a diesel vehicle?”. Many will wonder which will save them the most, long-term, but this answer also depends on the driver and how they plan to use the vehicle. When purchasing a vehicle, diesel vehicles are typically £1,000-£2,000 more than a petrol equivalent but this higher cost could be recouped for those that tend to drive longer distances. There is also fuel cost to consider, petrol is usually a little less than diesel, but diesel is more economical and uses less fuel per mile. For those that tend to do more short-distance or city driving, paying that extra bit of cash for a diesel probably will not be best for them long-term....

With the cost of fuel rising again over the last 6 months or so, many of us are looking at how we can cut down on petrol or diesel costs by driving our car more economically. Most people are aware that you use less fuel when driving a car in a higher gear and using less revs. If you are constantly accelerating and then braking you are likely to use more fuel that if travelling at a constant speed. Leaving enough of a gap between you and the car in front will allow you to have to brake less if they happen to slow down a little bit. Cruise control can help cut down on fuel bills as it keeps the car at a constant speed. But if you are...