Detroit automaker General Motors Corp. says it is testing a new combustion process that could increase fuel economy in conventional engines by up to 15 percent. The announcement comes as fuel economy has become an increasingly important issue due to rising gasoline prices. Foreign automakers have captured a bigger share of the U.S. market in part by emphasizing fuel efficiency, with hybrids such as the Toyota Prius having significant success. The process GM is testing, called homogeneous charge compression ignition, approaches the fuel efficiency of a diesel engine without the need for advanced pollution controls, the company said in a statement. Currently, the technology is being tested in two drivable concept vehicles, a Saturn Aura and an Opel Vectra, and was to be shown to reporters Friday at GM's proving ground in Milford.
The process ignites an air-fuel mixture in the cylinders by compressing it, producing a low-temperature, flameless energy release in the combustion chamber. Since all the fuel in the combustion chamber is burned at the same time, the engine uses less fuel to produce power that is similar to conventional engines. Although GM gave no estimate of when the technology might come to market, the company said it still needs to work on controlling the combustion process. "Additional development costs, including research and testing programs, are required to make the technology ready for the great variety of driving conditions that customers experience," said Uwe Grebe, executive director for GM's powertrain advanced engineering.
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Saturn Aura Green: 35 MPG
Chevy Aveo: 34 MPG
Pontiac G6: 34 MPG
Pontiac Vibe: 34 MPG
Chevrolet Cobalt: 32 MPG
Pontiac G5: 32 MPG
Saturn ION: 32 MPG
Chevrolet Malibu: 32 MPG
Saturn VUE: 32 MPG
Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky: 31 MPG
Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 31 MPG
Chevrolet Impala: 31 MPG
SAAB 9-3 Aero: 30 MPG
SAAB 9-3 Sport: 30 MPG
Buick LaCrosse: 30 MPG
Pontiac Grand Prix: 30 MPG
SAAB 9-5 Sport: 30 MPG
Saturn Aura: 30 MPG
Saab 9-3 SportCombi: 30 MPG
Saab 9-5 SportCombi: 30 MPG
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx: 30 MPG
Chevrolet HHR: 30 MPG
And I would drive damn near ANY of those cars over a Matrix, Prius, Accord or Camry.
Ethanol: Not enough land in the US to power all the cars in the US
Electric only: Causes more pollution than gasoline cars produce because electric needs go up and so does the production of that power (coal, Nuclear, etc [even though they are very clean]).
There's more to a car than whether or not it gets great gas mileage or not. Sure, it plays a big part in it, but I'm also not the typical American that wants a giant SUV that gets half the gas mileage my car does. So add me to the list of being excited about cars that get 40mpg. Specifically high performance cars, because thats where we're headed. I almost refuse to purchase another 4cyl vehicle. I went from a 4cyl truck that couldn't even get past 75mph on the highway, to a 2 V6 vehicles to a V8. Call me spoiled, but I'm happy with my V8.
Also, going up several hundred feet in a 4 cyl car up and down all over the city just doesn't cut it. Not all highways here are flat. Of course there are people that just want powerful cars but that's just the history of the nation, we are spoiled point blank. And we whine. Alot.
scsgoal31, what are you doing...you can't let the masses know that Detroit's cars get pretty much the same gas mileage as their similarly equipped European and Japanese counterparts!!! That would be telling the truth and you can;t have that when discussing American cars
*Note: 40mpg would be 46mpg
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