GM’s Advanced Combustion Saves Fuel
It’s getting harder to believe automakers when they say they can’t meet tougher fuel-economy standards. And it’s their own fault. Not only are they rolling out hybrid vehicles and developing advanced hybrids that can be plugged in: they’re also demonstrating, at least in concept cars, advanced combustion technology that could cut fuel consumption.
This week General Motors announced two drivable concept cars that use homogeneous-charge-compression ignition (HCCI), which provides fuel-economy advantages similar to those provided by diesel engines, but without the extra pollution. HCCI could reduce fuel consumption by 15 percent. The vehicles go up to 55 miles per hour on HCCI, shifting to conventional spark ignition for higher speeds.
Recently, MIT researchers demonstrated that such vehicles could run on ordinary gasoline, which could help the technology be quickly adopted.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Google DeepMind’s new generative model makes Super Mario–like games from scratch
Genie learns how to control games by watching hours and hours of video. It could help train next-gen robots too.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.