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
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines
New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.
Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats
With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.