Fuel Efficiency
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Despite decades of modern advancements, it’s common knowledge that internal combustion engines are far from efficient when it comes to transmitting the energy stored in the fuel they burn into real motion. In the recent past we’ve seen regenerative braking, engine stop-start and direct injection systems appear on new cars in an effort to boost efficiency but there’s still a lot that can be done. One avenue that’s been receiving a lot of interest recently is thermoelectric power generation, a process where electricity is generated from wasted exhaust gases. Some of the...
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U.S. raises fuel economy floor to 27.3mpg for 2011
You might disagree with his methods, but you can't deny President Obama's determination to improve the U.S. car industry's situation and to remedy the nation's current energy policy. Part of both plans is a rise in the fuel economy requirements to 27.3mpg fleet-wide by 2011. It's actually a step...
Ralph Hanson -
Department of Energy's $25 billion fuel-efficient vehicle fund still untapped
Last November, the Department of Energy issued interim rules for the use of a already-approved $25 billion loan package earmarked for the construction of more fuel-efficient vehicles. But now, almost five months later, there has still been no disbursement of the funds. Over 75 applications for the...
Nelson Ireson -
BMW announces new hydrogen tech that beats diesels for efficiency
Hydrogen fuel is often derided as an impractical and inefficient solution - and for the most part, the critics are right. But BMW is forging ahead with its hydrogen-burning cars, today announcing a technological development that has raised thermal efficiency to 42% - one percent greater than...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ferrari confirms 599 hybrid prototype in testing
Governments around the world are bowing to public pressure to reduce greenhouse gases, and more often than not the first sector they look at is the auto industry. The European Council has proposed a ruling that could see carmaker’s forced to limit their fleet average CO2 levels to 130g/km by...
James Martinez -
Volvo adds four more cars to efficient DRIVe lineup in Geneva
Slashing the cost of ownership is a good strategy in today's car market, especially in Europe where emissions taxes are a large part of the yearly expense. Volvo's DRIVe line of cars, expanded with four more models today, is therefore not just smart in an environmental sense, but a business sense...
Nelson Ireson -
Turbocharged, fun-to-drive hatchbacks and sedans - not the first things that come to mind when we hear the word 'hybrid' but one company is working to change that. Hybrid technology has become hugely important in the industry and to many eco-conscious drivers as well, and though it offers some serious benefits to fuel economy, as anyone who has driven one knows, they are often boring behind the wheel. AVL thinks that's not a mandatory situation, and is developing a system to inject fun back into the fuel-efficiency equation. AVL thinks that between equally efficient vehicles, buyers will...
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VW joins ranks of carmakers investigating thermoelectric generators
Finding ways to make cars more efficient isn't always about improving the engine, changing the fuel or adding a hybrid system to the mix. Sometimes it's about recapturing some of the energy already expended. Volkswagen's thermoelectric generator applies that idea to waste exhaust heat, and turns it...
Alex Kaufmann -
First Scuderi split-cycle engine prototype completed
American engineering firm Scuderi has announced the completion of the first prototype of its new ultra-efficient engine design called the ‘split-cycle’. The design uses a revolutionary new system to provide engines that release significantly fewer emissions than current offerings and is...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford Fusion Hybrid qualifies for maximum tax credit of $3,400
Tax credits designed to give buyers incentives to buy more efficient cars are anything but new - the Toyota Prius has benefited from similar schemes for several years. Now Ford's Fusion Hybrid, as well as the Mercury Milan Hybrid, qualify for the maximum tax credit as well, giving buyers a $3,400...
Ralph Hanson -
Mercedes Benz releases AMG sports pack for new E-Class
Having already unveiled its all-new E-Class Sedan at last week’s Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes Benz released today new images of the svelte saloon wrapped in the carmaker’s new AMG styling package. The package includes a number features not available individually and gives us a preview of...
Jeremy Weber -
Next-gen Ford Focus could feature EcoBoost powerplant, 43mpg
Although Lincoln's C Concept may have struck few chords with show-goers, its theoretical internals could live on in a future Ford Focus. The latest reports indicate Ford is considering a 1.6L 180hp (134kW) four-cylinder EcoBoost engine for its next Focus, capable of pushing highway fuel economy as...
Nelson Ireson -
The 1-series has been a popular staple among premium small-car buyers in Europe for some time, but it has only hit the U.S. recently. The fun-to-drive and attractive compact has just gained a new sibling in the form of the 116d, powered by an efficient four-cylinder diesel. Unfortunately it's only available in Europe. Despite the absence from American shores, it's still a technological feat to appreciate. With its 53.4 US mpg rating in the European combined cycle, the 116d is as efficient as the current Toyota Prius and next-gen Honda Insight hybrids. And at 116hp (86kW) and 192lb-ft (260Nm)...
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Mercedes-Benz hit with second-largest fuel efficiency fine ever by NHTSA
Mercedes-Benz has been fined $28.9 million for failure to meet federal fuel efficiency standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week. The amount is the second-largest in the history of agency. Part of the U.S. CAFE standards, enforced by the NHTSA includes a...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ford Fusion Hybrid certified as most efficient mid-size car in America
Though it was slow to join the hybrid ranks, Ford has hit what appears to be a home run with its new Fusion Hybrid, rocketing to the top of the mid-size sedan fuel efficiency charts. Official certification by the EPA has put the car's fuel efficiency at 41mpg (5.7L/100km) city and 36mpg on the...
Nelson Ireson -
VW working on new 'two-liter' microcar
More than a year ago, Volkswagen announced it was working on a project to bring its 1-Liter concept from 2002 to production reality. The three-wheeled low-slung extremely aerodynamic design still seems a bit unrealistic, but now VW is thought to be building a slightly larger, more functional city...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ferrari CEO flatly rules out diesels
The Germans are embracing diesels wholeheartedly, and many of the Fiat Group's companies have a standing relationship with the oily fuel, but Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa has ruled out any move toward the technology, at least within the next five years, and probably beyond that. "Diesel is not a...
Ralph Hanson -
Small car fuel savings offset by higher insurance costs
Savings at the pump may be a false economy for small cars, as higher insurance costs offset the financial benefits of higher fuel efficiency. For many popular models, the difference in insurance costs can exceed $500, wiping out the savings of a car that gets 35mpg on average over one that gets...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes Benz has introduced a new version of its C-Class sedan under the guise of its BlueEFFICIENCY eco tag. The car is the C350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, and despite producing more power and torque than the standard C350 it uses on average 10% less fuel. This is because of the addition of Mercedes’ second-generation direct injection technology instead of the standard C350’s port injection. There are also several other fuel saving mods such as a more aerodynamic grille and low rolling resistance tires. Output from the new saloon’s engine is rated at 292hp (215kW) and 270lb-ft...
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Fiat releases eco:Drive efficiency datalogging application
In a new twist on the idea of car technology that helps improve the driver, Fiat has released a software program called eco:Drive that hopes to improve green driving habits by recording exactly what is going on behind the wheel. Incorporating Microsoft's Blue&Me system to log the information to a...
Ralph Hanson -
Audi's 60mpg A4 TDI Concept e officially unveiled
Like many other manufacturers, Audi has chosen the theme of fuel efficiency for its Paris Motor Show exhibitions, and the latest addition to the group is the Audi A4 TDI Concept e. Built around a highly efficient diesel engine that's good for 58.95mpg (3.99L/100km) in mixed driving, the car is an...
Nelson Ireson -
VW Jetta TDI used to set new Guinness fuel economy record
The Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption has been claimed by hypermiling power couple John and Helen Taylor at the wheel of a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Burning diesel across the lower 48 United States, the pair averaged 58.82mpg (3.99L/100km) over 20 days. Previously the record for...
Ralph Hanson -
MIT aerodynamics breakthrough could improve efficiency, speed
A century-old problem in the physics of aerodynamics, known to scientists as fluid dynamics, has been solved by MIT scientists, both on paper and in the lab. The breakthrough makes it possible to calculate when the otherwise smooth flow of air over a complex surface will cease and separate, hugely...
Nelson Ireson -
U.S. average fuel economy climbs to 20.8mpg
Shifting from SUVs and pickup trucks toward smaller cars may already be having an effect on the overall average fuel economy in the U.S. Figures released today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveal that the actual increase in fuel economy may be even higher than the 0.2mpg bump...
Nelson Ireson