For the past 30 years, there has been a war raging against the internal combustion engine; its rallying cries are as familiar as peanut butter and jelly. Terms like smog alert, acid rain, carbon emissions, foreign oil, and global warming have been the lead in for thousands of speeches, news reports, articles, and studies. Ever the purveyor of public opinion, the federal government, led by the EPA and the environmental movement has steadily been raising the bar for fuel-efficiency. In 1985, the typical MPG for a passenger car was around 16 MPG. Today in 2015 the standard stands at 25.1 MPG; ten years from now, in 2025 it will more than double to 54.5 MPG. For the auto industry, compliance has been costly; however, their efforts have spawned a steady stream of innovation, not just in design but in materials technology as well. Though forced by the Fed, fuel economy is a market factor that sells cars, just as people want electric cars; they also want high fuel efficiency. Until recently the price of gasoline and its effect on the average consumer had a large impact on the sales and development of higher MPG cars. In fact, part of the recent declines in crude oil prices can be attributed to lower demand gleaned from higher fuel efficiency.
Oddly enough, now that fuel prices have plunged to the lowest levels since 1995, the expected increase in sales of lower MPG vehicle has not happened. This is an indication of a cultural shift, call it generational or conditioning, whatever its name it’s now clear that the average consumer wants clean high mileage vehicles. From super-efficient gas, diesel, electric, and hybrid cars, to cleaner running trucks, and trains operating on natural gas, efficiency sells, and the MPG numbers show it.
Where does this leave the internal combustion engine? The drive for higher gas mileage has brought about such innovation and efficiency that modern technology has made the good old gas engine far more practical than anyone thought possible. So much so that a recent report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that by 2040, 95% of cars on the road will be using an internal combustion engine. That’s right little Johnny, you may get that job pumping gas, after all. This may be a shocker to some and begs the question, what are the technologies that are bringing about all the change? As Red Green once said, “talk is cheap, let’s build.”
Starting with materials, when I was building a drag bike an
old-timer told me “weight is horsepower.” It’s also fuel efficiency. A perfect
example is the all-new aluminum Ford F150. Ford's extensive use of aluminum
knocked off 300 lbs., which isn’t a lot considering the F150 weighs in at just under
5000 lbs. What’s important here is the effort, Ford has been playing with
aluminum for over 40 years, this is a big step forward and utilizes design and
manufacturing principals that will carry over to other lines. Of course, there
are also advanced composites, plastics, and even a movement to bring back
wooden cars. There are also advancements in alloys used in the engine and
drivetrain that are making parts stronger, lighter that are able to dissipate heat
better, and run at hotter temperatures with higher compression.Under the hood, you'll find innovations like variable valve timing that can adjust to the optimal profile based on RPM. Then there's cylinder deactivation, the expanded use of turbochargers and superchargers that utilize direct fuel injection. Integrated starter/generator systems that can turn the engine off when not needed, such as at stoplights and standing. Another major area is electronic engine management, the level of sensors and control over engine functions is staggering. Modern systems can process up to 1000 different items of data per second and are only limited by the number of sensors available. If you look at technology as a whole, there is a massive amount of R&D that goes into developing a new car. One would think that with all the money and effort that go into producing a modern car that getting to those high MPGs numbers would not be a problem. But, there is a roadblock that is simply the physical limitations of the design. Depending on fuel costs as we get closer to that required 54.5 MPG, the effects of diminishing returns will have a big impact on further developments.
To get those extra MPGs on gasoline alone without a hybrid solution may not be possible. For a vehicle with only an internal combustion engine, meeting the federal guidelines will require a diesel engine. Unless there is some unforeseen development, and it would have to be major, the diesel engine will surpass the gasoline engine in the number of vehicles that it's used in. There is no other economical way to achieve the required 54.5 MPG. This isn’t hard to imagine since the diesel already has quite a head start.
Of the top 10 highest MPG passenger cars in 2015, five were diesels. The Volkswagens Jetta, highest on the list at #4 comes in with an MPG rating of 42 city/48 highway. These are some pretty good numbers, but getting the rest of the way to the goal on combustion alone will require a bit more innovation than the standard engine design can provide.
Here is a design that could provide that innovation it’s called the Achates engine and was developed by Achates Power of San Diego. They claim that their design gets 30% better mileage than standard diesel, and double the efficiency of a gasoline engine. When I first looked at this, I read that it uses opposing cylinders. Cool just like my old Triumph, not quite, what they mean by opposing cylinders is that it uses two reciprocating pistons per cylinder. It’s also a two-stroke and has no cylinder head.
Since its a diesel there are no spark plugs, ignition is from the heat of compression, which brings up another thing this design does well, dissipate heat. The Achates engine has 30% less surface area than a comparable four-stroke, it is just a cylinder after all so getting to and removing the heat from combustion is a lot easier. Less heat means less wear and longer service life, add the use of a turbo or a blower and this thing could really make a dent in the diesel market.
I also want to note, that I am talking about low GVW passenger cars. When it comes to large scale transportation such as trucks and trains, the amount of torque needed will always require an internal combustion engine. Moving freight by truck or rail relies on burning a lot of diesel fuel though lower in cost as of late, it cannot compare to liquid natural gas (LNG). Because of this expense, many rail companies are exploring the conversion of their trains to LNG.
So where are all the electric cars? I’ve driven electric, fuel cell and hybrids cars, box trucks, little red wagons, and shopping carts. Personally, I think having an electric car would be fantastic, and I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I could get one that was practical and above all, cheap. What’s currently available for an all-electric car just ain't gonna cut it in Brooklyn, maybe Jersey, but hey where am I gonna plug the friggin thing in any way? I know not everyone lives in a city, but to gain wide acceptance a car has to appeal to people across a wide demographic.
It all comes down to battery technology, basic practicality, and expense. As of today, battery technology simply hasn't caught up with the gold standard of 300 miles on a single charge, (that’s equal to the typical full tank of gas). There are claims by Tesla to have achieved that milestone, but there is still nothing commercially available. In 2016, GM will be releasing their version, called the Bolt, not to be confused with the Volt, which is a hybrid. The Bolt is said to provide a 200-mile range and go for around $35,000. Okay, that’s a start, but $35k for what essentially is a novelty? I’m still not sold.
Battery charging is where the rubber meets the road for practicality. The needed infrastructure is certainly in place, millions of miles of the electric grid, an entire supply chain ready to serve. But you still need a place to plugin. If you live in a rural area or the suburbs and have an unchanging day-to-day routine no problem, pull into the driveway pop on a cord, and you're good to go. However, there is a growing urban population, and as I mentioned earlier, the mass adoption of technology means it has to be practical for everyone. If you don’t own a home or live in an apartment than plugging in every few days gets to be more of an issue. And then there is the question of the length of charge, 6, 8, 10 hours for a full charge, seems to be a lot of planning to maintain. Having a car in the driveway is supposed to give a measure of freedom, just get in and go, anytime. Unlike filling a fuel tank, there is not a lot of room for error, or you’ll be on the side of the road waiting for a wrecker.Even with all of these drawbacks, there is still one thing to consider. If the auto industry could produce a cheap electric car with a 300+ mile range for around $20 to $25k, they would fly out of the showrooms. Automakers know this and have spent billions trying to develop a solution. These efforts are reflected in the news every day, articles expounding Tesla’s advancements, development projects from Google to Apple, and every major automaker on the planet, even a hybrid F1 class, its big news for a reason. The question now is whether the US market is even ready for a cheap all-electric car? American automakers have focused solely on the US market while it’s clear that Japan and China are far better suited to accommodate an all-electric vehicle, and would make a better proving ground as well. For the US, the realities of commuting, the infernal distances, and a growing urban population will dictate. Looking forward, with current technology it seems likely that reaching the federal mandate while appealing to a broad market base will require a diesel/electric hybrid solution.
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