The Diesel engine has been around since 1894 and it’s a thing of simple beauty. Adding a diesel motor to a car makes that vehicle between 20% and 50% more efficient immediately - depending on the size of the vehicle.

Diesel engines last approximately double the miles that a gasoline motor does and modern diesel engines don't rattle, smell, run loud, or even pollute - in some cases. As another bonus, a six cylinder diesel motor also gives the same exhilarating kick-in-the-pants acceleration that a big eight-cylinder gasoline motor provides.

Another marvel, the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), has been around since the 1940s and it turns a 4 cylinder Nissan Altima from a 22 mpg underpowered gas-powered dog-on-wheels into a 50 mpg (highway) joy to drive. 

Here's an obvious revelation then - why not run a diesel motor AND CVT in the same vehicle? When you do the math, the Diesel CVT should offer 70 to 90 mpg in a small-sized VM Rabbit-like vehicle. Compare Toyota's Prius III, the latest generation, which offers 49 mpg - and it has to make you wonder - Why?

The Diesel CVT is an obvious choice for the smarter vehicle to own - and by all that makes common sense, it should be in every driveway in North America.

But it’s not that simple. The Diesel CVT exists on no car-lot anywhere in North America really. Audi and Mercedes have run this combination in Europe however. The 2002 Audi A6 Diesel CVT (shown above) delivers 45 mpg highway and 35 mpg combined city/highway - and you will begin to wonder why isn't it here as well.

The reasons are a frustrating creation of both the monetary system and the democratic system... 

Consider these points for a second...

• We live in a world where more energy is used to refine oil into gasoline so that we can get 30% to 70% less vehicle fuel economy from the same amount of oil.
• Diesel was always cheaper than gasoline at the pump until - about 10 years ago.  It is a fact that trucks tear up our roads much more quickly than passenger cars - and Diesel is taxed at 24 cents per US gallon vs 18 cents per gallon for gasoline in the US - to offset the cost to roads by truck usage. 6 cents on top of a $2.85 per gallon gas price equals 2% more tax per gallon on Diesel.
• Diesel is cheaper to refine than gasoline, Diesel takes less energy to create than gasoline - and yet today, Diesel costs approximately 30% more than gasoline at the pump.
• Why would patent owners price themselves out of the game - as they have with Diesel  & CVT? 
• And what of cynical reports that patents for both CVT and Diesel engines were purchased by big-oil interests decades ago?

Did you conclude that "Diesel" is being conspired against? Frankly, we did too.

So - no problem then - if the Monetary System's Patent Office needs to be overhauled to protect society and our environment from the profitable status-quo gasoline technologies, lets just get our law-makers to "Make Diesel CVT happen" - Right?

Obviously its not that easy. Remember that Diesel fuel still sells at a 30% premium and the only Diesel CVT option offered in America came from Chrysler in 2005 with a startling $5400 premium.

Now comes the Democratic System problem I mentioned above. If you are looking for a smarter option for your next car, you should write your congressmen - the lawmakers - Right? Well yes "right" - but don't hold your breath.

Here's why. Money pays for the multi-hundred million dollar ad campaigns that keep congressmen in power. Therefore the power to change a profitable status-quo is not in the hands of these folks if they want the continued financial support of campaign contributors. As always, the true power in a democracy is in the hands of each voter - even though we don't teach our kids how to wield this power, nor practice it ourselves very well. It appears ...

The solution is to: i) ask government for the opportunity to purchase a Diesel CVT - and then ii) vote for the candidate who can commit to making your "Diesel CVT in every driveway" dream come true - that is - if you can hear his message over the pervasive press coverage of the status-quo candidates.

Now this article is constructed to appear quite cynical - but for a positive purpose. A Diesel CVT car should be in every driveway in North America in the short-term and mid-term (2 to 20 years). The next wave of clean tech will be along to fill the long-term solution in 30 years - but not much is going to happen before then.

If you want a Diesel CVT - your going to have to make your vote count for more than it has in the recent past.

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