Under Secretary Albright Test Drives Clean Diesel at DEER Conference
August 12, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Under Secretary Clarence "Bud" Albright Jr. took the wheel at the 2008 Diesel Engine-Efficiency and Emissions Research (DEER) Conference on August 4. Not only was the Under Secretary the keynote speaker, he also had the opportunity to test drive a 2007 BMW 535d and a 2008 Audi A4 TDI, both vehicles offer clean diesel engine technology.
"It was an excellent ride. It didn't feel or sound like a typical diesel from inside the car," said the Under Secretary after driving the BMW.
The vehicle was one of several new diesel vehicles available at a Ride and Drive as part of the 14th Annual DEER conference, held in Dearborn, MI. The DOE-sponsored conference is a forum to present advancements in state-of-the-art research and development of diesel engine technology, diesel fuel formulations, and related systems and subsystems.
The Under Secretary drove a 2007 BMW 535d outfitted with Bosch clean diesel technology. The car has a top speed of 155 miles per hour (MPH), and gets an average fuel economy of 41.5 miles per gallon (MPG). The Under Secretary also had the opportunity to drive the new 2008 Audi A4 TDI, which also employs Bosch's clean diesel technology and has a top speed of 155 MPH, maintains a combined 36 MPG fuel economy, and has none of the traditional diesel clatter.
The vehicles were brought to the DEER conference from Europe by Robert Bosch LLC, one of the sponsors of the conference, for the purpose of demonstrating Bosch diesel-fuel injection technology.
Under Secretary Albright discussed the benefits of diesel earlier in the day as he gave a plenary address to kick off the conference. "Technology will find the solutions for current problems such as the need for increased efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions," said Albright. "Technology has not let us down before, and I don't think it will let us down in the future."
Also on hand was the Audi R10 diesel-powered racecar, which was also the first-ever diesel-powered racecar to register a win at the 24-hour Le Mans race. Under Secretary Albright saw up close clean diesel technology that was jointly developed by DOE and Dow Automotive. The diesel particulate filter that was designed specifically for the R10 racecar helps reduce the emissions of the vehicle to meet strict Audi and Le Mans guidelines.
The DEER Conference highlights DOE-funded research and development and has become the meeting of choice for engineers and scientists to exchange information and transfer diesel technology more rapidly into the marketplace. Attendees from 18 countries included automotive engineers and scientists; diesel engine users; fuels, lubricants, and non-petroleum-based fuel industry representatives; state and local government representatives; and environmental researchers. More than 70 technical papers and 80 posters were presented on the issue of improved fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gases for diesel vehicles.
