IntroductionWhen someone mentions diesel, many people still have the image of a loud, obnoxious car that is difficult to start in cold weather. This may have been true twenty or thirty years ago, but today it couldn't be further from the truth! With all the advances in engine and emissions technology; diesel has become the new standard in fuel economy and horsepower, while maintaining rigorous pollution standards as mandated by the EPA. As CJ Baker explained here, “Diesel development has come a long way, but the public perception of diesel is 25 years behind…but the end result is still the same. Modern diesels are fast, powerful, quiet, easy to start in cold weather, and don't smoke.” (Baker 2). Therefore I chose modern diesel as my topic, to help shed light on that misunderstood beast we call diesel. I also hope to inform the public that there are alternative technologies to gasoline and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which offer many times better performance, while not harming the environment. Diesel FundamentalsThe way a diesel engine works is drastically different from a petrol engine, instead of a spark plug pulsing seventeen times a second to start the fuel explosion, diesel relies on compression to generate the heat needed to ignite and create the fuel explosion. Also for this reason, diesel engines must be built much more resistant to withstand the high compression ratios necessary to contain the explosion. According to Lucy Lazarony, diesel cars and trucks deliver 20 to 30 percent better fuel economy than comparable gasoline models (para. 1). This is because in its molecular state diesel has “eleven percent more energy per gallon” (Baker, para. 7). The...... middle of the document......nce.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/algae-biodiesel.htm/printable>."Nitrogen dioxide | Air and radiation | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA, October 28, 2010. Web. April 7, 2011. .Roy, Rex. “Diesel vs. Hybrid: How to Save Fuel the Smart Way – CNN.” CNN. Np, 15 May 2009. Web. 16 April 2011. .Cigno, Katharine. “What is a turbocharger?” WiseGEEK: clear answers to common questions. Np, nd Web. April 15, 2011. "Trip Calculator: Fuel Consumption Calculator and Travel Time Calculator." Trip Calculator: Fuel Consumption Calculator and Travel Time Calculator. Np, nd Web. April 16. 2011. .