Quote:
Originally Posted by Casper
Have a look at the history of the small auto and you begin to understand why the DSG and CVT style transmissions were developed.
The Europeans in the late 80's and Volkswagen in particular along with the Japanese worked out that if they were going to sell cars in the US they needed auto transmissions and the torque converter transmission at the time was a horsepower gobbling thing due to the torque converter and the small low horsepower motors these companies made did not work well with them.
The only choice was to develop another style of transmission so they did. I suspect that with the introduction of new low speed lock electronically controlled converters and autos that the DSG will have a short life as the new TC and ten speeds do a better job. Audi in their latest cars has begun to dump the DSG in favour of a TC style transmission and I reckon the rest of the group will follow as new models roll out.
As I said before, we are going to buy what is produced with no say in it, your contention that the used car market is the answer is like putting your finger in the dyke, it is a finite view that has a definite end so you can forget that one as a long term answer. A big driver in the world car market is China, they have mandated a huge increase in non emitting cars starting from I think the early 20's to something like +10% of total production from any manufacturer who wants to sell cars in their domestic market hence the rush by the European manufacturers to develop these cars by 2020.
None of them can afford to be left out of the Chinese market as the traditional markets have matured and are showing signs of shrinking which must frighten the hell out of them. Everyone thinks the Euros are going electric because it is a trendy thing to do but the bans being forecast and the need to sell vehicles in China is really what it is all about. Left on their own they would not be so gung ho about the whole thing.
More info
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...uota-from-2019 |
The banning of diesel in many European countries will also shape that conversation.
The Koreans and Chinese have trialled many paths, including a relatively long standing technology in LPG. LPG was a staple for taxi fleets here for 30+ years, and as they switched to hybrids, the fuel source got replaced.. I was in a cab the other day that was Hybrid/Electric/Petrol/LPG.. a Camry.. where even though the fuel use from petrol/LPG is much smaller than the relatively guzzling Falcons of not so long ago, the price differential on the fuel, the new tech on the fuel delivery/injection, and how much cheaper conversion is now (sub $3000 from a Direct OEM-supported Centre Of Excellence) makes a compelling case to relook at the technology.
Other markets in the world are re-embracing LPG, including the US, where massive work in underway by the likes of Caterpillar and Cummins to develop clean Mid size truck & bus engines, and stationary power generation engines, for world markets.
Diesel is dying... what are we going to replace it with?