In the last couple of years, one of the widely used phrases in the Indian auto industry was the demise of diesel. The diesel engine-propelled cars have been experiencing a slump in sales. Narrowing price parity between petrol and diesel, rising costs of diesel cars, and stringent emission norms putting pressure on diesel vehicles have impacted this trend. Buoyed by this change, automakers too have started focusing more on petrol engines. India's largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki has ditched diesel engines completely, while other OEMs too have started focusing on petrol engines over diesel.

However, diesel still has its own appeal to many automotive enthusiasts. The higher energy it produces and the better fuel economy it offers are two of the key reasons behind this. Diesel is claimed to offer 15 per cent more energy than petrol, while diesel engines are much more fuel efficient than their petrol counterparts. Diesel engines offer up to 40 per cent more fuel economy than their petrol counterparts.

Here is a quick explainer on diesel powertrain technology and its advantages over petrol engines.

Fuel economy

Diesel cars can travel up to 40 per cent further than their similar-sized petrol counterparts. A study has revealed that diesel is 29 per cent more efficient on the highway and 24 per cent more efficient in the city. This is a key reason why commercial vehicles are usually run on diesel.

Less maintenance

Diesel engines come with slightly fewer parts compared to their petrol counterparts. This means that diesel engines require less maintenance compared to a same-sized petrol engine. For example, diesel engines do not have spark plugs, which leaves less room for electrical failures and reduces the need for maintenance, which means less waste production and better cost savings.

Higher torque

Besides the maintenance and cost-effectiveness, diesel engines are also known for their performance benefits over petrol engines. Diesel engines offer better acceleration, towing and hauling potential than their petrol counterparts. This is because, in diesel engines, the piston rises to the top of the cylinder, while in a petrol engine, it stops short. Diesel engines compress more air faster, delivering more power to get work done.

Longer lifespan

Diesel engines come with a tough build quality to handle higher compression and hard work compared to petrol engines. This results in better durability of the diesel engines. Eventually, such tough build quality means that diesel engines promise longer lifespans compared to their petrol counterparts.

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