Mercedes-Benz pushing ahead with development of its unique Diesotto engine

Mercedes-Benz gave the confirmation that the project to develop its unique Diesotto engine has been given the go signal. There were reports that the project was put off because of the company’s decision to focus on other future propulsion technology, such as electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen.

At the Paris Motor Show, Professor Herbert Kohler, vice president of future mobility at Mercedes-Benz, revealed that in five years, the finished article would be ready for production. In an interview with What Car?, Kohler said that its plans may be ambitious but that the company is confident that it will be able to achieve its goal.
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Joe_Limon - 10/13/2010 4:54:52 PM

0 Boost

Sweet! This is good news. I'm glad Mercedes has decided to stop concentrating on those hybrid/hydrogen distractions and develop a truly superior technology.

Let's face it, even if we run out of easy oil, we'll still have hydrocarbon resources coming out the ying yang, be it in unconventional reserves which could last centuries. Or be it in biofuels (modern ones which use waste products or algae... not food crops).

AlleVier - 10/13/2010 7:09:27 PM

+3 Boost

Really, Joe? Don't you at all crave technological simplicity assuming it achieves the same level of performance? Like, electric motors. Or are you in the parts business?

Joe_Limon - 10/13/2010 7:31:20 PM

+1 Boost

even if we go all electric, we still need to get energy from somewhere. The other trouble with electric vehicles lies in their scalability. if everybody bought them, their strain on rare earth metals would cripple their feasibility. unless everyone drives shitty lead acid electrics...

diesotto/hcci is the current pinnacle of internal combustion technology. why not strive for the next level? fuel injection was the last great leap in tech and it worked out just fine :)

Audiphile - 10/13/2010 11:42:29 PM

+3 Boost

If Daimler can get the DiesOtto engine to work, more power to 'em.

BozzorTheGreat - 10/14/2010 3:20:38 AM

+3 Boost

Despite their name, rare earth metals are actually reasonably common in the earth; however, they are rarely found in concentrations that make them economically viable to extract given current technology and market prices. In the future as demand increases, their extraction cost should come down.

Joe_Limon - 10/14/2010 10:29:00 AM

-2 Boost

Yes and no, the prius alone uses 8.7% of the worlds production of lanthanum. Yet about one in 300 of the cars sold in the world are prius's. And it isn't even a full electric car! If we did fully convert, we would need to be producing anywhere from 600-1000 times more lanthanum for fully electric vehicles. Or increase our extraction rates anywhere from 52 to 87 times. If we increase our extraction rates that quickly, within 50 years we will deplete our global reserves.

So yes, rare earth metals are actually fairly rare.