http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18304/

Like I've always said, petrol engines, ftw.

Basically direct injection paired with turbocharging can provide better fuel economy.

 

I don't see the big deal here. There seem to be plenty of folks that use methanol injection already for supercharged and turbocharged applications just like this. Heck I could get a system like this installed on my "other" car right now if I wanted.

Edit: I just read the comments on that site. They point out the same thing.

 

Well it's direct injection gasoline for one (not news) and directly injecting ethanol as well.

 

I don't see what is new about this. There are plenty of direct injection petrol engines (the IS for one) and turbocharging has been around for years. VW do a 1.4 litre Golf with a turbo and a supercharger which delivers 175bhp and low fuel consumption. Hybrids like the Prius are regularly outperformed by small petrol and diesel engined cars which also deliver lower fuel consumption. The way forward for economy would seem to be a small diesel engine linked to a hybrid electric engine.

 

You're missing the point.
It's not just turbo charging or just direct injection or just methanol injection.
It's direct injection using both gasoline and ethanol and turbocharging.
The comparison was merely a less expensive alternative to hybrids.
I just thought it was nice that people aren't giving up on petrol engines. There's plenty of potential here, we just need people to build upon the technology.

 

Well with our patent system he should go ahead and patent that because putting those things together isn't "obvious" to folks familiar in the art.

Sorry.. I don't see the novelty. Yes it's new but not revolutionary the way the seem to want to portray it.