Why Do We Use Gasoline for Small Vehicles and Diesel Fuel for Big Vehicles?

Green pump for diesel, blue for gas – but what’s the difference?

Gas-pump
(Credit: Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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Gasoline fuels most light-duty vehicles, such as passenger cars and pickup trucks. Heavy-duty vehicles, like buses, delivery trucks, and long-haul tractor-trailers, typically run on diesel.

Both fuel types are needed because gasoline and diesel engines have different strengths. As my automotive engineering students learn, this makes them suitable for different uses.

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