SKYACTIV-X: first commercial gasoline engine to use compression ignition

Post by HNSucksAss » Wed, Aug 09, 2017, 4:40 AM UTC

cmrdporcupine wrote: post #78

bsdetector wrote: post #30

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Or a bet on hybrids. Hybrids enable new types of engines that for instance operate at constant rate or that are under-powered for acceleration from a stop or going uphill.

I bet on plugin hybrids, specifically ones with large batteries. This seems to be an unpopular opinion, but I think the Voltec drivetrain shows what's possible here. Pure EV purists dislike PHEVs because they have the complexity of an ICE car + an EV car, but I think there's some serious advantages. Like you say, Atkinson cycle for electricity generation for when the battery drains beyond smaller commute ranges. Some…

Post by petre » Wed, Aug 09, 2017, 4:47 AM UTC

NickM wrote: post #117

spitfire wrote: post #103

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I believe it's a "luxury/enthusiast" strategy. I believe the auto market will play out something like the watch market did with the introduction of the quartz watch. Most people just want to tell the time, so they buy a quartZ. Similarly most people just want to get from A to B, so will buy an electric (automated) car. Some people enjoy the mechanics of the thing. So they buy a nice mechanical watch. These watches we…

Perhaps, but I wonder if we won't see more countries go the way of Norway/France/Britain and ban gasoline cars altogether once electric vehicles become more competitive and mainstream....

Post by icc97 » Wed, Aug 09, 2017, 6:05 AM UTC

ouid wrote: post #140

oatmealsnap wrote: post #35

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Gasoline engines aren't going away for a while; even when every self-driving car is electric, there will be a market for people who want gasoline engines. If it gives a bump in fuel economy to the next (last?) generation of gasoline and hybrid vehicles, great! I also wonder if the maintainability of these engines will be the same as with diesel. That would be another big benefit.

I visited a Tesla store once in mountain view, and they have a great little demo where you can check the cost of charging your car in various states. Washington DC, for whatever reason, gets its electricity from a gasoline power plant. In Washington, the Model S gets 28 MPG. This happened a while ago so I could be misremembering, but regardless I don't believe that the environmental value of electric vehicles has bee…

Post by petre » Wed, Aug 09, 2017, 6:20 AM UTC

bluGill wrote: post #114

mtgx wrote: post #33

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I don't think hybrids have any future except in the heaviest of vehicles, where batteries won't make sense for another few decades. We're already seeing companies being interested in making battery-only buses, tractors, semis, and even airplanes. Not all models of those types of vehicles may work with batteries, but it's a sign of what the future could bring.

battery only buses make sense because the bug needs to run over rush hour and then can sit all do to charge. Battery operated tractors do not make sense without vastly better batteries because a tractor needs to run for 16 hours at max power (500hp). Sustaining 400000 kw for 16 hours is not easy. For semis and airplanes you need to consider your use: for short in town loads/short flights batteries can work, for longe…

Post by grondilu » Wed, Aug 09, 2017, 6:25 AM UTC