Source: Forbes

In order to seriously address climate change there will need to be major changes in the US transportation sector because it represents 29% of our total US greenhouse gas emissions. Electric cars and SUVs are widely promoted as a solution; however, that change is only climate-friendly if the grid used to charge them is dramatically shifted towards renewable energy sources such as wind or solar.

However, electrification is not a particularly viable solution to replace the diesel engines which play many important roles in modern society. They power trucks, trains, boats and barges, many public and school buses, heavy farm and construction equipment, military vehicles, and generators for making backup electricity. The functional advantage of diesel engines is that their high torque makes them powerful enough for moving heavy loads while their high efficiency is good for long routes or prolonged tasks. A downside is that diesel engines have air pollution issues (particulates and NOx emissions).

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