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Showing results for tags 'fuel efficiency'.
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I am not sure what do you guys practice, but whenever I have the opportunity to drive (at night), I prefer to do so with the windows down, all four of them to around three-quarter levels, and enjoy the wind as I travel in the highway or partially filled roads. Although it isn’t similar to the wind in your hair experience that one experiences in a convertible, it’s the closest I can get, and the reason I can only do it at night is because it is cooler, and I won't be breathing in harmful emissions at traffic lights. Besides pleasure and preference, there is a popular belief that driving with the windows down saves more fuel than having the air conditioner turned on with the windows up. And in contrast, there is an alternate theory that suggests driving with the windows down increases drag, or air resistance around the car, and thus ends up sipping more fuel - because to resist this motion - the car needs more power, which in turn, burns more fuel. So which is which? While it is true that utilising air-conditioners while driving does in fact contribute to a higher fuel usage, a study from a U.S. based Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) have apparently found the opposite. It is more fuel efficient to drive with the windows up and the AC on. The test also claimed a 20 percent reduction in mileage when the windows were rolled down whereas with the AC on, fuel efficiency dropped by just 10 percent. The test results can be altered by a number of factors, including the type of car (an SUV experiences higher drag than a small car), aerodynamic properties of the vehicle, outside temperature, wind speed, etc. In general, it is recommended to drive with the windows down at speeds below 70km/h - as the power unit develops less power and it has to work harder to operate the AC and other components that rely on power from the motor. Besides, as you are driving slowly, the drag resistance is not strong enough to cause any significant damage to fuel efficiency. However, given our tropical conditions, I suggest we practice this recommendation, in the evening or wee hours of the morning when the air is cooler and there are less cars on the road. When driving at higher speeds, you might want to roll up the windows and have the AC turned on, as the engine produces enough power to run the AC along with resisting the higher drag property that comes with speed. But then again the faster you go with the windows rolled down, the more forceful air gets gushed in and thus a more lively experience? At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference and several trials and errors. What do you guys think, windows up or down?
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[extract] A classic among fuel economy drives is conquering all U.S. States
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For those who intend to buy an Opel Astra 1.6 Turbo, you may want to hold off your purchase for a while. This is because the brand's latest 1.6-litre SIDI turbo petrol engine is now available on the five-door hatchback, four-door sedan and Sports Tourer versions of the Astra. The new engine will replace the existing 1.6-litre Ecotec turbocharged unit. The new range topper makes 168bhp and 280Nm of torque, which is 10bhp less but 50Nm more than its predecessor. In addition, torque availability has dropped from 2,200rpm to just 1,650rpm. The engine is available with either a new six-speed manual gearbox or a low-friction six-speed automatic transmission. The fuel consumption of the new engine is and improved 14 percent over its predecessor and is rated at 5.9L/100km (according to the New European Driving Cycle) for the hatchback and sedan. The five-door Astra 1.6 SIDI Turbo sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds faster than the current 1.6 Turbo. However, it is still 0.3 seconds slower than its arch rival, the Golf Sport.
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Peugeot plans to introduce Hybrid Air system in cars by 2016
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
PSA Peugeot Citroen plans to put Hybrid Air powered vehicles on the road by 2016. The system combines an internal combustion engine with compressed air energy storage. It is similar to electric hybrid system but uses compressed air for energy storage rather than batteries. A hydraulic pump/motor unit recovers energy generated from the combustion engine and from braking/deceleration and stores it in the air energy storage unit. The system claims to improve fuel efficiency by 45% and increase a vehicle's range by 90% as compared to conventional engines of similar power ratings. The system can operate solely on gasoline power, air power or a combination of both when high power acceleration is required. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjqFihLltSY In small vehicles such as the Citroen C3 and Peugeot 208, the system is said to achieve a combined cycle fuel efficiency of 2.9-litres/100 km with an estimated CO2 emissions of 69 g/km. PSA plans to introduce the system in their B segment models from 2016 in the first phase. C segment and light commercial vehicles will follow after that. -
[extract] Following the footsteps of Ford, Citroen has recently introduced its new PureTech family of three-cylinder petrol engine with capacity of 1.0-litres and 1.2-litres. Unlike Ford's EcoBoost, Citroen's power plants are naturally-aspirated and hence they produce a more modest output ranging from 68bhp to 82bhp. These new range of engines will be fitted on the C3, DS3 and C-Elys
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General Motors to work with tyre researchers to develop fuel efficient tyres
FaezClutchless posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Many would know that the type of tyres used on a car plays a significant role in fuel economy. And in an effort to create more efficient tyres, General Motors has partnered with engineers and scientists at the National Tyre Research Centre. This partnership will accelerate the development of new tyre technologies which will improve vehicle fuel economy. The facility which is located in Halfiax County, Virginia, USA; uses state of the art machinery to allow engineers and researchers to replicate real life events and also improve vehicle highway safety. With certain estimations, tyre design can improve fuel efficiency by seven percent. A tyre -
[extract] Lamborghini has made their latest bull, the Aventador, more environmentally friendly by incorporating start/stop function and cylinder deactivation technology into the 2013 MY LP 700-4. Hence, the revised Aventador is akin to a plate of Char Kway Teow prepared with healthier oil
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[extract] When a car is the market leader in its segment, it becomes an easy target for critics. In this case, it is the all new MK7 VW Golf. Unsatisfied with the fuel consumption of the new model, environmental activists from Greenpeace about 50 people picketed the premiere of the German hatchback in Berlin. Greenpeace's German transportation expert, Wolfgang Lohbeck, commented that Volkswagen has the technical knowledge to build a car whose base model could deliver a better fuel consumption than the advertised 4.9L/100km
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GM may squeeze more mileage out of electric cars in the near future
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
[extract] Envia Systems, a small battery company with investment from General Motors (GM), is working on new technology that could allow an electric car to travel up to 322km on a single charge within the next 2 to 4 years. That is about the distance between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Speaking at an employee meeting, GM -
Internal combustion engines will remain dominant at least till 2050
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
The US National Petroleum Council (NPC) says high costs and technology limitations will ensure that internal combustion engines remain the dominant power source for cars until at least the middle of the century. Although there have been innovations in electric and hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technologies, the lower cost of internal combustion engines and their suitability will see conventional petrol and diesel engines, hybrids, plug-ins and natural gas engines continue to lead the market until 2050. However, all is not lost for the environment. The NPC believes that the ongoing technological advancements in lightweight materials, improved aerodynamics and drivetrain electrification could see the fuel economy of internal combustion engine vehicles improve by 60 to 90% over the next four decades. The report also commented that it is too early to pinpoint the fuel of the future and hence recommends that a broad portfolio of technology options should be pursued and supported. Hence, oil producing nations can rest assured that their export will still be in hot demand for a long time to come. The National Petroleum Council is an American advisory committee representing oil and natural gas industry views to the Secretary of Energy. -
As automakers try to achieve better fuel efficiency, they are looking for ways to reduce overall vehicle weight. General Motors has taken what could be a game changing decision by investing in NanoSteel, a leader in nano-structured steel materials design. The new steel alloy technology offers unique material characteristics that are not currently available today that will reduce vehicle weight and increase fuel economy. David Paratore, President and CEO of NanoSteel, said that the new material is stronger yet easier to form than conventional automotive steel. Additionally, the new alloy can be formed using conventional steel processes and no new welding techniques or machines are needed. More importantly, NanoSteel claims huge weight-saving advantages. "We're not talking about saving grams. We're talking about saving kilograms," said Paratore. GM Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors, is hoping that the investment in the nano-structured steel material designs will have a widespread impact on the auto industry.
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[extract] Every tyre on the market today is a compromise. If you want something that sticks to the ground in warm and dry conditions, there are many tyres for you to choose but don
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[extract] Honda is a car manufacturer that has always been toying with the idea of CVT transmission. Back in 1995, the Japanese automaker introduced the Multimatic CVT gearbox in the EK Civics. Coming back to 2012, Honda has announced the development of a new CVT transmission for midsized vehicles that claims to improve fuel economy and driving performance. The new CVT is Honda
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Originally, start-stop technology was used on hybrid vehicles to enhance their fuel efficiency when they come to a halt. The technology is now spilling over to traditional vehicles to help them save fuel. Ford will offer start/start technology as an option on the 1.6 litre EcoBoost version of the 2013 Fusion (Mondeo in Europe). Priced at US$295, the start/stop option promises to improve fuel consumption by 3.5% to 10% depending on the driving patterns. Ford expects the reasonably priced option to be popular with buyers.
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Los Angeles resident wins court case over poor fuel consumption
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Heather Peters, a Los Angeles resident, sued American Honda Motor Co. over misleading fuel consumption figure of her 2006 Civic Hybrid and won the case. Honda claimed that the hybrid model could achieve as much as 50 miles per gallon. However, peters claimed that her Civic achieved far less than that. At the best, she could only manage 42 mpg and after receiving a software update to improve performance, fuel economy went down further to 30 mpg. The court commissioner of the Los Angeles Small Claims Court awarded her US $9867.19 in damages, which is near the maximum $10,000 allowed in small-claims court. Her victory was considered precedent setting, and legal experts said it could open the floodgates for similar cases. But it could also be one that is short-lived. In a written statement, Honda said it plans to appeal the decision. "We disagree with the judgment rendered in this case, and we plan to appeal the decision," Honda said. In appealing, Honda could take the case to superior court, where it would be allowed to use its lawyers in arguing the case. In small claims court, the California law prohibits either side from using legal representation. The fuel economy rating that Honda advertises is set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The figure is posted on the website www.fueleconomy.gov. The ratings are set according to tests that some criticize as not reflecting real-world driving. In Singapore, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) has a similar rule which states that registrable goods must carry energy labels under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA). The fuel consumption of all cars sold in Singapore can be found at the website http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/category_sub.asp?cid=267. However, like Peters, I believe most of the drivers here do not achieve the fuel efficiency figure as stated in the NEA website. But I think winning such a case in Singapore would be much harder. -
Automotive exhibitions and shows are usually the place where auto firms showcase their new models, concepts and even technologies. It is a great platform for them to introduce such items where journalists from all over the world gather to report on their new creations. The 2011 Tokyo Motor Show is one such event. Currently taking place (01/12/2011), many new cars and technologies were displayed. For example, Toyota is heavily promoting its new sports coupe model, the 86. Honda might not have any new sports model or sports concept to show to the world but one of the biggest news from them is that they have a new family of engines that goes by the name of Earth Dreams Technology or EDT for short. The name might sound a bit plain to some but for those who are familiar to the phrase
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Prior to the CATS car-nival on 26-27 Nov 11, Borneo Motors has been advertising heavily on the all new Prius C hatchback. The Prius C is the second spin-off of the Prius family, and combines the features of a Yaris-sized car with a hybrid powertrain. I was looking forward to viewing the actual car at car-nival but was disappointed to see only a pair of live-sized cardboard showing information about the car. I understand from the sales lady that the car is not launched yet but interested buyers can put down a $2000 cash deposit, which is refundable if he decides not to make the purchase ultimately. Some research on the internet reveals that the production version of the baby Prius will be unveiled in the November 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The Prius C measures 3995 mm(L) x 1695 mm(B) x 1445 mm (H). In terms of dimension, it is slightly larger than the VW Polo. According to the sales lady, the launch price of the new hybrid model is expected to be around $110K, according to the current COE level. The damage to the wallet is quite similar to the Polo as well. Power is provided by the combination of a 1.5L VVT-I engine and a high-output motor to generate a total of 100 bhp. This propels the Prius C from 0 to 100km/h in 10.7 sec and returns a claimed fuel efficiency of 27km/L. The century sprint timing is somewhere between the Polo 1.4L and the 1.2TSI Sport. Although the achievability of the claimed fuel efficiency is unknown, what is certain in that the Prius C is a very safe car. It comes fitted with Traction Control, Anti-Lock Braking System and is awarded a 5 star NCAP rating. The baby Prius is stuffed with 7 SRS airbags
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Volvo has officially confirmed that its future vehicles will have no more than four-cylinders. The Swedish automaker hinted earlier this year that it was considering abandon its current five- and six-cylinder powerplants in the name of fuel efficiency. Volvo has already axed its V8 engine, with its five- and six-cylinder engines the next to face the chopping block. Volvo says it will complete the shift to three- and four-cylinder engines within 10 years.
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Volkswagen will debut cylinder deactivation (cylinder shut-off) technology in the new 1.4-liter TSI turbocharged, direct-injection engine beginning in 2012. Volkswagen will be the first carmaker to implement this technology in a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in large-scale production. The primary goal of the system is to reduce significantly fuel consumption by temporarily shutting off two of the four cylinders (cylinders 2 and 3) during low to mid loads, effectively making it similar to the Fiat 500 TwinAir 2 cylinder engine. Volkswagen says that cylinder shut-off reduces fuel consumption of the 1.4 TSI by 0.4 liter per 100 km in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) driving cycle. When the Stop/Start functionality is integrated, which deactivates the engine in neutral gear, the savings effect adds up to about 0.6 liter per 100 km. The greatest benefits of the technology are realized while driving at constant moderate speeds. At 50 km/h, in third or fourth gear, savings amount to nearly one liter per 100 km. Even when running on two cylinders, the 1.4 TSI
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[extract] About 4 years ago in May 2007, ZF unveiled their 8 speed automatic transmission which found its place under the bonnets of the BMW 760LI saloon, Rolls-Royce Ghost and many others. In the quest for efficiency, car manufacturers have increased the number of gear selection to their products and even a base model such as the latest BMW 1 series is benefiting from an 8 speed transmission. Recognizing such a need, ZF launched the world
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[extract] There is no typo error in the title of this blog entry, in case you were wondering. In a recent interview with CNN
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[extract] A collaboration between research teams at Shell and Gordon Murray Design (GMD) recently led to the development of an innovative concept engine lubricant capable of achieving a 6.5% improvement in fuel efficiency on an urban cycle, and a 4.6% benefit on a combined cycle. Using GMD
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According to source, Ferrari will introduce a environmental friendly California at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. Details are sketchy, but OmniAuto, an Italian automotive website, is reporting the car won't be a hybrid. Instead, it will likely feature an improved direct injection system, multi-cylinder deactivation, low friction engine components and regenerative braking like the Ferrari HY-KERS hybrid concept. While purists will cry foul over a "green" Ferrari, the company has already announced plans to cut emissions by 40% and improve fuel efficiency by 30% as compared to 2007 levels. This is a result of stricter government standards which have already killed off the Honda Civic Type R and Ford Focus ST.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a new report on obesity in the U.S. According to the study, the U.S. witnessed a 1.1 percent increase in the number of self-reported people with obesity between 2007 and 2009. The increase amounts to 2.4 million additional Americans admitting that they have joined the category of obese individuals. In addition, the number of states reporting that at least 30 percent of its population fit into the obese category has tripled to include nine states. Rising obesity rates have led to increased medical costs and other public issues, but the automotive industry has felt the added weight as well. According to the study, an estimated one billion gallons of extra fuel were used up to compensate for the added weight of drivers and passengers from 1960 to 2002. If you look at it another way, 0.7 percent of all the fuel burned in vehicles from 1960 to 2002 has been attributable to passengers who have packed on a few extra pounds. From another angle, 39 million gallons of fuel are burned for each pound gained by the average American. So, if you are eco-conscious or intend to reduce fuel cost, think twice before you swallow that double cheese burger next time.
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Fuel efficiency has increased dramatically in the last decade, or at least that's what we've been told. So, it might come as a surprise to find out that six of the Top Ten Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)-rated Fuel Sippers from 1984 to present were built prior to 2000. This info comes straight from the EPA website, the authoritative source on this fuel efficiency stuff. While some current vehicles such as the 2010 Toyota Prius, 2010 Honda Insight and the 2006-2010 Honda Civic Hybrid garnered a spot on the top ten list, it's really older lightweight models like the 1986 Chevy Sprint ER or 1990-1994 Geo Metro XFI that make it obvious efficiency hasn't come as far as we'd like to think. Overall, Honda holds top honors for automakers with five models present on the list, while Toyota's Prius made its mark twice. All of the vehicles on the list run with either 3- or 4-cylinder engines and five out of the top ten rely on hybrid motivation. The overall winner, the 2000 Honda Insight (above), scores a combined rating of 53 miles per gallon, a number that exceeds even the modern-day Prius by three mpg. In many cases, we've been mistakenly led to believe that buying a new car equates to increased efficiency, but this list clearly shows that many of the relics from days gone by can easily hold their own with the most efficient vehicles made today. Therefore, newer is not always better! 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
