Rudolf Deisel 150th Anniversary

Born in Paris, on 18 March, 1858 to Bavarian parents, he graduated from Munich Polytechnic, and worked as a refrigerator engineer. Diesel was obsessed with designing engines and, aged 35, he proved fuel could be ignited without a spark and published his first paper on combustion within a cylinder. After years of trials and testing, on February 23, 1893, Diesel was granted patent number 67207 in Germany for his 'working method and design for combustion engines'.

In 1898, the 'Diesel engine' received its US patent. The impact was so great that, the same year, aged 40, Diesel became a millionaire. "The world would be a far different place today without Rudolf Diesel," VACC General Manager, Communications and Marketing, Tim O'Brien, said. "Diesel engines, for their fuel efficiency, robustness, and high torque characteristics at low revs, are the staple engine for industry and heavy transport on land and sea. They are also fast becoming the staple engine of light vehicles. Diesel engined cars now represent more than 50 percent of new car sales in Europe and are rapidly gaining acceptance in Australia.