How It Works

Every media outlet in the world covered Volkswagen's tangled web of lies and deceit as "Dieselgate" opened up and spewed the truth nearly three years ago. Its consequences are ongoing today, and VW's future trajectory has been changed forever. But, how exactly did VW's "defeat device" work? Jason...

Mercedes-Benz dominated Formula One in 2017, and part of its success was no doubt due to its latest F1 powertrain. The big news surrounding the engine is the fact it achieves a 50-percent thermal efficiency. What's so special about that? Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained is here to tell us...

Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is starting to wrench on his Honda S2000 project car. One of the latest areas of the car he's attacking is the rear end. His yellow Honda is getting a brand new limited-slip differential with more aggressive gearing. Before he gets to enjoy that extra...

We toss the words "horsepower" and "torque" around pretty often in the automotive industry, but perhaps the meaning of both gets lost along the way. Never fear, Engineering Explained is here. In a new video, EE host Jason Fenske helps explain in the simplest of ways what power and torque are, and...

There are two relatively simple options to boost (pun intended) horsepower in a vehicle: superchargers and turbochargers. But, which is better? Once again, Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained is here with an answer. It's important to understand how both options function first. A turbocharger...

We've talked in the past about the relationship between horsepower and torque. They work together, and horsepower needs torque to make you and your car happy. There's one magic number though that doesn't get much ink spilled its way, virtual or otherwise. The number is 5,252, and it's the point in...

There's a battle of words that occurs when a group of people begin arguing over who has the fastest machine. All sorts of performance metrics are thrown around, and it can quickly become a miasma of uninformed soup. Some think they're going to win a race because they have more horsepower, while...

You won't jump into a modern electric car and row through a number of gears as you race down the road, which begs the question: why is it that electric cars usually have only one gear? It's but another topic for Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained to cover for us, so throw on your learning caps...

You know those car ads you see filling every commercial break of your favorite television show? Look closely and you'll see a fair number of them touting either a given vehicle's power output or perhaps the estimated fuel economy figures. There's usually also a disclaimer stating that a certain...

The second-generation Ford GT packs incredible engineering no matter where one's eyes may scan. Be it aerodynamics, engine technology, or the suspension, there's always more than meets the eye. Here, however, we're talking about the GT's suspension, which is anything but traditional. It uses coil...

The automotive enthusiast community occasionally mixes and matches a few of its key terms. Wheels versus rims, for example. Another example can be found when dealing with engines that breathe through a bit of forced induction. On a turbocharged engine, there are two physical concepts that can often...

Not all oils are created equal, and there's a new product on the market that comes with a pretty bold claim. Mobil 1 Annual Protection promises a life of 20,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first, before the oil needs to be changed. Intrigued by the claim, chief explainer Jason Fenske of...

The 2020 Tesla Roadster's surprise introduction came with some pretty tantalizing specs. One of them is Tesla's claimed 0-60 mph sprint in just 1.9 seconds, but another figure washed over the internet. According to Tesla, the Roadster will have 10,000 newton meters (more than 7,000 pound-feet) of...

Wouldn't it be nice to have a proper work space in which you could wrench on your pride and joy? To have the tools and the time to do so is a wonderful luxury to be enjoyed whenever possible. Perhaps you're short on one of those things. It's most likely going to be the time aspect of it all...

For those who reside in snowy and icy climates, winter tires are often the go-to patches of rubber to ensure optimal performance. However, the U.S. has plenty of areas that dip below freezing but don't necessarily see precipitation. Even areas that get snow don't have it all the time. And yet...

Hennessey Performance Engineering is making some rather bold claims. The Texas tuner recently revealed a new vehicle called the Venom F5. HPE says the Venom F5 will have 1,600 horsepower and be able to hit a top speed of 301 mph. We certainly believe Hennessey is capable of building a machine that...

Finding the aftermarket modifications that will make your car a better performer can be an adventure. Every company under the sun claims all sorts of horsepower, torque, and efficiency gains, but do those claims actually prove out in the real world? Not always. However, some mods will help improve...

Volkswagen isn't reinventing the way your internal combustion engine works. The automaker has, however, created a new twist on the Otto cycle that's a revised version of the Atkinson cycle. Your standard Otto cycle is the one with which you're most familiar. It's made up of intake, compression...

A proper gas-powered car is a joy to drive. Your senses take a joy ride when the sound hits your ears, the acceleration tosses you in your seat, and sometimes even the smell wafts into your nose. The days of gas-powered cars are numbered though. This is a fact we can't deny. Electric cars, however...

The 2020 Tesla Roadster washed over the Internet last week with some pretty incredible technical specifications and performance claims. For example, CEO Elon Musk said the new Roadster will sprint to 60 mph in just 1.9 seconds, which would make it the first production car in the world to go under...