![]() ![]() The Prius and models from Lexus have been available in SA for some years, while Honda may still decide to introduce the Insight. HEVs are filling the gap until EVs (see below) become commercially viable/available. With ‘Series’ hybrids, such as the Chevrolet Volt, the wheels are only driven by an electric motor, while a petrol motor starts a generator to produce energy when needed. With standard ‘parallel’ hybrids such as the Toyota Prius, both electric and petrol engines drive the wheels. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs): Hybrids combine a smaller fossil fuel engine with an electric motor.Although biofuels are not yet commercially available in South Africa, over 17 million vehicles (using mainly ethanol) do duty in Brazil, the US, Canada and Europe. Koenigsegg has produced the world’s first green supercar, and the higher octane biofuel ensures superior performance to petrol only derivatives. Overseas, flex-fuel is used extensively and generally contains 75 to 85 per cent ethanol, mixed with petrol. Biofuels: Rather than engaging in the fuel vs food debate, it is worth mentioning that plans are afoot to produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oil, though this is unlikely to be sufficient also to meet the South African road transport demands.Ignition, as for a diesel engine, is through compression rather than spark, and exactly how variable compression ratios are managed is M-B’s secret for the time being… It also incorporates universal technologies such as direct fuel injection, stop-start technology, kinetic energy recovery including regenerative braking, and two-stage turbo-charging. DiesOtto: A development from Mercedes-Benz that promises to combine the benefits of diesel (fuel economy and torque) with that of a petrol engine (performance, low cost and low emissions).Consumers probably require a mind-set change before small force-fed engines become universally accepted though! of torque, which is more powerful than the majority of naturally aspirated 2l engines. Conventional internal combustion engines: The most obvious route to efficiency is to combine super- and turbo-charging, as done in the 1.4TSI engine that does duty in some VW and Audi models.Some of the major advances being made include the following: Realistically, however, increasing the efficiency of the power-plant is the only option. So how do car manufacturers aim to reach these targets? Slippery design to reduce aerodynamic drag, lighter-weight materials, low-rolling-resistance tyres, and gearboxes with more gears and deeper overdrives, all contribute to reduced CO2 emissions. The proposed merger will see Porsche included in the VW stable together with other premium brands such as Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti.) (In a strange twist of fate, VW wrested the initiative from Porsche, and has now taken control of the latter when it was left vulnerable after incurring substantial debt and finding the banks unwilling to give support in the midst of the credit crisis. ‘Averaging down’ the CO2 output of a range of vehicles is certainly easier than attempting to reach these targets when the smallest of your engines, efficient as it may be, has a 2.7l capacity. Some speculate that this was also a consideration in Porsche’s attempt to acquire a majority stake in Volkswagen. The European Union has mandated that car manufacturers reduce CO2 emissions by 2012 or face considerable financial penalties. However, importing the Prius does not help its cause locally, and a small internal-combustion engine vehicle may very well have a case… or not? No reliable evidence exists to suggest that the carbon footprint of the Toyota Prius exceeds that of a Hummer. ![]() Let’s start by dispelling a rumour that is the source of numerous internet debates. Is there a term referring to efficient and realistic alternatives to fossil-fuelled internal-combustion engines?
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