Why are diesel engines known as underpowered?

Question

I do hear a lot about diesel engines, more specifically how they have to be turbocharged and that they generally have poor acceleration etc. But why is this?

In: 0

Answer 1

Diesel engines require about very high compression, far more than petrol engines.

To create such high pressures, the piston stroke is a bit longer compared to the piston diameter. To sustain such high pressures, the engine block, head, and crankshaft bearing journals are built much stronger and heavier than in petrol engines.

These factors combine to create an engine that is heavy and rotates more slowly — but which creates far more torque — than a petrol engine.