Developed and patented by Rudolf Diesel, the diesel engine was designed to offer higher efficiency than the widely-used Otto gas engine, using higher compression ratios. Unlike gas engines, diesel fuel is combusted via compression, requiring no spark plugs.  However, the diesel engine had quite a few obstacles to overcome in automotive history. It was often ridiculed for being underpowered. Diesels have also always been seen as less refined than comparable gas engines and known for emitting thick black smoke.
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