Volkswagen Sharan BlueMotion 7-Seater Has Better Fuel Economy than Most Cars in the U.S.

While WVO and algae - based biodiesel are fine in themselves, is there such a basic lack of understanding of economics here that it isn't clear that WVO is what started this mess?

When you provide a little of something and create demand for it, it doesn't matter where it comes from to the majority of the consumers.

Ben, you don't seem to understand economics yourself very much.

We'd never get algae biodiesel if we hadn't had the first less expensive sources to create some demand in the first place, showing entrepreneurs and scientists that it was worth pursuing.

The reason why we didn't start with algae is that it's much more R&D and capital intensive to get started. Same way that nobody would have invested massively in modern wind power without the crappy early start.

Anonymous - we've been making biodiesel since the 1970s. If algae biodiesel were effective at producing energy, we'd probably have seen some evidence by now, not just loud press releases over the last several years followed by quiet nothing.

Ben, context matters. Until recently, the downsides of the other kinds of biodiesel (land use issues, mostly) were not obvious because production was so low. Just didn't have incentives to produce much of the stuff. But now with climate and high energy costs combined, we're taking a second look at a lot of stuff (including wind and solar -- should we have abandoned those too after 30 years?).

Not to mention that technology is WAY better now than it was even only 15 years ago. Biotech, computer models, etc.. lots of stuff can be used to help with algae-based fuel. There's also a whole new crop of post-dot-com greentech startups and venture capitalists that can help make this happen. They weren't around just 10 years ago.

James, let's say algae biofuels end up a good deal, environmentally.

Why would the market switch to them when there's dirt cheap land available in the Amazon?

Yeah, land is pretty cheap in the amazon, but the economics of scale for algae produced fuels is astounding.

Safflower Oil is one of the best plants to grow for biodiesel, but it will never produce the number of calories per acre that algae is able to produce.

CDI minivans have been available in EU for years.

Dodge Grand Caravan, diesel, 2002, UK, about 40mpg. That's just one of many examples.

So the ability to simply upgrade the exhaust system to an already existing diesel in an already very popular US model has been there all along.

As much as I love diesels, right now the economics don't favor them in many parts of the country. Best case scenario you get 30% better MPG over an equivalent gas model. But today, diesel is more than 30% more expensive than regular gas. Not to mention the price premium for the diesel model in the first place.

As for continuing to mention biodiesel and WVO in regards to these new diesel offerings with particulate filters and NOX traps, you should STOP NOW. The majority of these new vehicles in both EU and upcoming US will prohibit use of ANY AMOUNT of biodiesel. Forget WVO all together. Best case is you find a model which allows B5. 5%? Why bother at all.

Things have accelerated greatly. At this point, plug-in hybrids are the only viable solution, with full BEVs coming in a bit down the road. Diesel PHEVs? Sure, would be nice.

Michael - I believe you mean coefficient of drag.

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ed. Thanks, typo fixed.

Meh. Simple to understand, really. Diesel from french-fry oil is easy, because the oil is already there and largely just going to waste. The algae oil has required a fair amount of R&D to make it viable, and as it turns out will be more of an industrial process than an agricultural process.

"James, let's say algae biofuels end up a good deal, environmentally.
Why would the market switch to them when there's dirt cheap land available in the Amazon?"

Why would people switch to solar when there's coal plants?

At some point, the externalities of pollution will be incorporated into prices, and it'll be cheaper to grow algae in a pond than to cut down rainforest, and it'll be cheaper to build solar farms than coal plants.

But your argument isn't really to the point anyway. It can be applied to everything. "Why put airbags in cars, it's cheaper to not put them in!"

I believe you meant to write gear ratios, instead of gear rations.

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ed. Thanks! Fixed.

I drove the latest Ford Galaxy in Ireland for a week (it's the same plaform as the Sharan above, and the Seat Alhambra), and of course in Turbo Diesel format, not the blue motion version.

There were 6 of us and all of our gear, driving up and down hills, overtaking on motorways, basically not driving in an economical fashion, and it still returned 5.3 l/100km over the week (44.38 mpg). Dunno why they were boasting about 6 l/100km above!!

Not only that but it was a powerful engine especially once the turbo kicked in above 1600 rpm, torquey and plush and quiet even at idle. Add a lovely gearbox (manual) and good handling, and I thought this vehicle was a brilliant drive, especially given its size.

America needs to get hold of some of this european turbo diesel goodness and discover why most european cars are diesel these days!

How can we tell VW they have blown it big time by introducing the stupid Routan instead of the Sharan ?