On the global warming-mad European continent…
… fuel efficiency is measured by carbon dioxide emissions rather than miles-per-gallon, and the European Commission has mandated 120 grams/kilometer (equivalent to a staggering 62 mpg) by 2012.
They aren’t going to make it.
This week in Belgium, officials acknowledged that an interim goal of 140 g/km (48 mpg) by next year is already beyond reach, as the average emissions of vehicles today is “only” 160 g/km (42 mpg). Even bureaucrats are now suggesting the 120 g/km goal be pushed off to 2015. Why are the Europeans missing their targets?
TG, there is a “hybrid” technology that compresses air as part of the braking cycle and then uses the compressed air to provide thrust from a standing stop. Nice idea, recapture some of that deceleration energy for acceleration.
The problem with this, as with most things, is weight. You need a compressor, a tank, air drive, blah blah that don’t do enough to justify carrying them around all the time. Kind of like the battery pack on a Prius.
I think a hybrid is a nice idea, but it won’t really be more efficient than a plain vanilla diesel unless the batteries get a lot lighter, and the charging engines are substantially more efficient than a standard engine. Like producing 300 hp out of 750 cc’s at 15,000 rpm with direct drive to a -really- efficient generator, with more than 10% regenerative recovery from braking, batteries that approach gasoline’s energy storage capacity per pound, etc.
Its hard to get around the dead weight issue. Ask a small plane designer.
Phantom,
I agree with you more than you would think.
Hybrid is really a fraud. Nothing more than a stop gap measure for reasons of complexity and weight.
A PEV by contrast lets you run about town all day with no i c engine. For longer trips, you can take a 3cyl diesel / bio-fuel genset with you. Flexability.
98% of hybrids can not run without gas / diesel in the tank, so are useless during a petrolem shortage.
A TDI diesel/bio fuel vehicle is far more efficient than any hybrid when all costs are considered. Bio fuel in this area is 50% the cost of 87 & diesel.
= TG
You’re cool with me, TG. You are a knowledgeable commenter and you don’t make stuff up.
Pretty much everything on wheels is useless in a fuel shortage other than a bicycle. In this country there’s no excuse for us -ever- to have a fuel shortage in anything short of a major war, so I don’t worry about it.
Hybrids are really nice for things like earth movers and military/off road vehicles where you don’t want to have lots of spinning shafts or the torque requirements are enormous. For cars, feh.
Lets send all these enviromentalists wackos to the EUROWEENIE UNION then they can live it their wacky land of ecoowackoness
Alan: Such a car could be produced.
But it’d seat two (or if it seated four, it’d never get 90mpg with four people in it), be a deathtrap in a collision, cost $50,000, and have a top speed of 75mph.
It’s not hard to get 40-50mpg from plain old combustion (you can even get low 40s from a midsize car – ask Mercedes and the E320CDI, and the old Geo Metro could do 40-50 for a lot less money, though also a lot less power).
You’re lucky to get 50 in a Prius/Pious, even when driving “well”.
90? Not going to happen for a price people are willing to pay, in a vehicle they’re willing to drive, not anytime soon.
And that’s why you never saw the Expo 86 90mpg car on the road.