Diesel Cars (Terra Futura)

Diesel Cars were common in the early 21st century along with gasoline cars. They were more efficient than gasoline cars.

(Note: The background section of this page uses most of the same words as Terra Futura's page on gasoline cars to save time.)

Background
The earliest cars were steam cars. In 1769, Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot demonstrated his steam wagon. It was slow and did not replace the horse and carriage. The first practical gasoline-powered car came out in 1886. It was designed by Gottlieb Daimler of Germany. Later, Karl Benz, also of Germany, also developed his own car. These cars were still expensive. Steam cars were still available and so were primitive electric cars. In 1908, Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, invented the first assembly line. This made his Model T cheaper. The automobile became popular as a result. After World War I, the engine was moved to the front, closed bodies and standardized controls were part of every car. During the Great Depression, the car's body was fully closed, and fenders, wings, running boards, and headlights were integrated into the body of the car. Following World War II, there was an increase in engine power and speed limits. In 1964, the Ford Mustang came into existence. In the 1970s, the Arab oil embargo caused a trend toward increasing fuel efficiency. Independent suspension started being used. Fuel injection replaced the carburetor. Safety became a major focus. The turbocharger saw widespread use. Fuel efficiency would increase. In modern times, fuel injection was now ubiquitous. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive became widespread. However, in the early 21st century, it became clear that gasoline cars were producing greenhouse gas emissions that contributed to global warming. Regulations were brought about prevent this from causing a catastrophe. What would replace gasoline cars? No one knew, but diesel cars provided a possibility.

Description
Tech Level: 9-10

Diesel cars used a diesel engine which was invented by Rudolf Diesel in 1883. By 1898, he was a millionaire. However, it was not until the 1970s that diesel cars became increasingly common. Diesel engines had 50% efficiency, the highest of any internal combustion engine. One major problem was diesel fuel had a high sulfur content. In the developed world, technologies were commonly used that took the sulfur out. Another major problem was that the stratified charge compression ignition (SCCI) resulted in particulate matter coming out as smoke. A solution also adopted in the developed world was the diesel particulate filter which filtered out particulates. Both of these solutions made diesel engines cleaner. By the early 21st century, diesel cars were the most common car in Europe. However, they would eventually be replaced by other types of cars. These included natural gas cars.