Why are the automotive companies struggling so ineffectively to get better fuel economy ?
Mick K asked:
60-odd years ago I owned a 1929 Morris Minor sedan that regularly achieved over 40mpg on the larger Imperial gallon … It had an 848cc capacity, sohc, 4 cylinder engine with long stroke, small bore and a rather inefficient-SU pump-type carburettor. Top speed was well above todays’ Freeway limits. Seems to me we need to re-invent the wheel ?
Automotive
Mick,
You’re spot on!
However some of the stuff that undermines things on efficiency go behind the scenes.
Miles per gallon for cars in the mid 1990′s are same as they are now. Yet there have been advances. How?
1. Each year there’s a different hurdle for safety requirements. Many of the requirements add weight. The weight must be stripped off some where or the car must carry more weight.
2. Emissions requirements – must burn cleaner, more stuff has to be added. Weight is added and removed or fuel suffers.
3. Consumers demand (AC, Sound Systems, Beverage holders…on and on) – more drain on power, add weight, sacrifice efficiency.
4. Fuel – There are more additives (back when you and I were putting about, that leaded stuff was rocket fuel compared to the stuff now…Mick….did we even need compression to get an ignition?). Additives sometimes degrade octane. Fuel is less efficient than it was.
For each advancement that is made, and admittedly they seem like baby steps, there’s a regulatory reason or market reason that all but erased the benefit.
Automotive
I have wondered the same thing. I have a friend at work that has early model honda two seater, I think its called a crx and he gets in the mid 40′s miles per gallon. If I remember correctly the VW rabbit diesels in the 70′s also got 40+ miles per gallon. Its just doesn’t seem like enough progress is being made.
Automotive
If your pharmaceutical company made multiple TRILLION$ each year with ineffective common cold remedies, would you release THE CURE for the common cold??? Imagine such–wiping OUT all that profit, reducing your behemoth sized medicine making company to ashes. You’d be berefit with layoffs on epic scales, stocks would tumble….and eventually, thousands of workers not only out of work—but their life savings into your company are wiped out cold.
Epic nightmare.
Given that example: What do you think American Big Oil faces if major car manufacturers release a fully electric car—or one that gets 127 miles to a gallon???
The American “Big Three”— hold working prototypes of engines RIGHT NOW that get 83 miles to gallon!!! Do YOU think they’ll release mass production of such engines???
Can you imagine a secret so hot, so profound—one would kill to keep it?????