The roles that “oil burners” play has immensely changed over the years as advances in engine technology and social change have improved their behavior and efficiency. Take a look below for 7 interesting and incredible facts about the diesel engine.

1. Most internal combustion engines that you might use (such as motorcycles, cars and lawnmowers) require devices to ignite the mixture of air/fuel in the combustion chamber of the engine. This is usually a spark plug in almost every case. However, as the air/fuel is ignited as it is injected into the cylinders of the engine at incredibly high temperature (compression engines). In addition, they are under high compression and therefore there is no need for spark plugs.

2. It is believed that the inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel, likely committed suicide. Some conspiracy theorists, however, label the death of the inventor as a murder.

3. Mercedes Benz were the first to produce and sell a production diesel-powered automobile in the world. It was powered from a 2.6-litre four-cylinder diesel engine and the car was named the 260D. It arrived at the market in early 1936. The production of this car put Mercedes Benz on course to becoming one of the largest producers and sellers of automobiles and trucks that are diesel-powered in the world.

4. Petroleum oil that is pumped out the ground is not the basis of all diesel fuel. It can also be refined from largely renewable sources and this is known as biodiesel. Biodiesel is America’s first advanced biofuel, according to the National Biodiesel Board. It is a renewable and a clean-burning diesel replacement that is decreasing the dependence on petroleum, and thus creating green jobs and improving the state of our environment.

5. The planet’s most prestigious endurance race has been won by diesel engines. Audi first won Le Man back in 2000 and used a turbocharged V12 Diesel engine a few years later to stun the racing community. This V12 diesel was nicknamed the “wooshmobile” because it is so quiet.

6. A record of 1.285 million new diesel cars was registered in Great Britain back in 2016.

7. 4.4 million, which is over 99% of all commercial vehicles (including coaches, buses and lorries) are powered by diesel. This covers 61 billion miles every year. You can see why life in the UK will be much harder without diesel engines.