2009 Audi Q7 TDI Priced At $50,900

What's the point? The piss and vinegar labelled 'diesel' in the United States probably won't work in this vehicle. To the best of my knowledge, the U.S. does not use Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. How ironic, having a clean diesel vehicle that's expected to use fuel that can hardly be called clean. LOL.

Actually, yeah, Low Sulfur Diesel has been available since last year. That is why these new TDis are coming out now and not before.
So much for irony.

wow, you're obviously on the internet so do some research, sheeeesh!

ULSD has been available in the US for a couple of year already, hence the availability of many new diesels in the US.

no, they should focus on biodiesel hybrids. lard butt french fry eating people will supply the fuel.

Hybrid and Diesel both are not the answer to our fuel problems. Go ahead and think about the battery technology/development/disposal of hybrids and the production of diesel and "bluetec" and figure out how clean they are.... Then think of electric cars that get their power from clean power stations that propel the car initially, and then magnets power it the rest of the way... Done..................................... If they can make it work, which MINI is working on, they have a real breakthrough on their hands.

And now do the math how much people for how many days need to eat chips for a single fill-up.

Biodiesel hybrids are the wrong choice. You need to pay price premium two times: for hybridization and for the diesel engine. Instead, a gasoline hybrid with the latter premium spent on larger battery for plugging in should be chosen. You'll get much better fuel efficiency with this setup. And we can make renewable electricity with massive EROI (energy return on investment). See hydroelectric powerplants, easily exceeding 20. The biodiesel EROI is 2.

Hybrid, are you kidding me? A Sydney-based cab company's prius fleet's batteries died after two years of heavy use. Cost to replace the batteries was so high, the vehicles were scrapped.

And, sadly, the lamer failed to provide evidence. And lost.


Don't worry though, I have one. Also from Australia. And, oh, new battery costs USD 3000.

"Prius does 500.000 km (310.000 miles) on original battery"

Prius Taxi Belts Out Half a Million Klicks, Jul 23rd, 2008,
by Mike Stevens

"Cairns-based taxi operator Graham Boundy reckons the Toyota Prius is just about the best thing that ever happened to the taxi service, and with approximately 550,000 kilometres under its belt—achieving half the fuel and maintenance costs of other conventionally-powered cars in the taxi fleet—his is a perfect example.

Some 32 Prius taxis roam the streets of Cairns, with an average of 200,000km per year to each of their names.

Boundy, who received his company’s first Prius back in late 2005, says the last three years have been great.

We obviously track our costs very closely and our reports show the Prius consumes half the petrol of other vehicles in our fleet and also half the service costs - it is quite amazing.

The Prius is also very suitable as a taxi in terms of leg and head room for both front and rear passengers, and in terms of boot size.

In three years of driving it, I only had to turn down one fare for a group of four tourists with four very large, hard pieces of luggage."

So impressed was Boundy, that he lobbed down to the local Toyota dealership and bought a Prius for his own private use. And then he bought one for his wife, too. Why not?

Then there’s the nickel-metal hybrid (better known to you and I as NiMH) battery: an ongoing point of consternation for many of the Prius’ detractors. Black & White Taxis’ 550,000km monster Prius has apparently had one of its batteries replaced—at 500,000km. Energiser bunny, look out.

According to Vic Johnston, Toyota’s manager of hybrid sales and fleet strategy, these are the only two Prius’ in Australia that have even needed a battery replacement at all, since its arrival on our shores in 2001."

Source: http://www.themotorreport.com.au/6042/prius-taxi-belts-out-half-a-million-klicks/

wow! how did lexus get into this?