Rudolf Diesel
A German inventor and mechanical engineer, famous for the invention of the diesel engine.
Most quoted
"The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in the course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time."
— from Speech, 1912
"The internal combustion engine, in its present form, is a very inefficient machine. My aim is to create an engine that converts a much larger percentage of the fuel's energy into useful work."
— from Patent application for the Diesel engine, 1892
"My engine is designed to work with vegetable and seed oils, special fuel oils, and is therefore particularly adapted to the production of power in case of the interruption of the coal supply."
— from Exhibition Statement, 1900
All quotes by Rudolf Diesel (413)
They say I'm a genius. I say I just have a very low tolerance for inefficiency.
The world runs on power. And I, my friends, have found a more efficient way to provide it. You're welcome.
A true inventor doesn't just solve problems; he creates new ones for future generations to ponder.
My engine is like a good joke: simple in concept, powerful in execution, and leaves you wondering how you ever lived without it.
I've often been told my ideas are 'ahead of their time.' I simply believe others are a bit behind.
They say I'm obsessed with efficiency. I say I'm just trying to save the world from unnecessary effort.
The best way to predict the future is to invent it. And then make sure it runs on diesel.
Some people build castles in the air. I build engines that make those castles move.
My engine is a testament to the fact that sometimes, the most revolutionary ideas are born from sheer stubbornness.
They call it progress. I call it making things work properly for a change.
I've spent years perfecting my engine. The least you can do is appreciate its quiet hum, rather than complain about the smell.
The future belongs to those who can harness power. And I've just handed them the reins.
Innovation is not about doing new things, but about doing old things in a remarkably better way.
My engine doesn't just move things; it moves the very concept of what's possible.
Some people chase fame. I chase efficiency. The fame, I find, tends to follow.
They say I'm a man of few words. My engine, however, speaks volumes.
The greatest invention is not the one that solves all problems, but the one that makes us realize how many problems we still have.
My engine is a testament to the fact that sometimes, the most elegant solutions are also the most robust.
I've been called a revolutionary. I simply prefer to think of myself as someone who got tired of the status quo.
They say the devil is in the details. In my case, the power is in the compression.
Contemporaries of Rudolf Diesel
Other Engineerings born within 50 years of Rudolf Diesel (1858–1913).