Hyundai moving away from hydrogen
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Direct Injection is probably the most efficient method for fuel efficiency, but it has its drawbacks, especially in colder weather where fuel dilution and carbon buildup can become problematic. I've also seen people who mod for more power run into fueling issues where the injectors become a bottleneck and create lean conditions
I am happy for all those who have the ability to charge at home, its people who don't have such luxury that have a problem. Hydrogen would be a viable gas substitute for them, so I wouldn't completely dismiss it. There is a good chance the government will start pushing hydrogen once all those who could switch to EV have done so, and there are still a lot of those for whom EV is not an option and they keep buying ICEs. It's still at least 10-15 years away from infancy.
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I am happy for all those who have the ability to charge at home, its people who don't have such luxury that have a problem. Hydrogen would be a viable gas substitute for them, so I wouldn't completely dismiss it. There is a good chance the government will start pushing hydrogen once all those who could switch to EV have done so, and there are still a lot of those for whom EV is not an option and they keep buying ICEs. It's still at least 10-15 years away from infancy.
If hydrogen were a viable option, where is it? Of course, ya never know. Just yesterday, it seems, Teslas were only for rich CA granola heads, right?
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Originally Posted by SW17LS
As an example, we couldn't fathom what the addition of hybrid tech would do for vehicle efficiency. We never thought we would see 450 hp 4 cyls that got 30 MPG. Of course the possibilities are not limitless...but to say they can't be further improved is silly.It would require extensive hybridization and addition of EV tech, but you could make ICE engines more efficient sure, it just gets to a point where it doesnt make sense to keep doing so vs just moving to EV.
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BEVs were a giant leap in terms of efficiency. It would take billions to get ICE remotely close to a BEV now so why bother. You'd also make the hybrid vastly more complex doing so while the EV retains its simplicity. Also, that's assuming the BEV development stands still. Right now, it's the infancy of the technology and it will only get more efficient over time...way more headroom for the tech.
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It does, turning combustion into motion is inherently wasteful can't cheat physics.
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I did as well as a youngling (6 years old), and the OPEC supply issue was a wake up call. Cars in those days were inefficient, wasteful and spewed toxins in the air. I still remember the gasoline smell that spewed from my father's car, which was fairly new. The answer to more power was throwing more displacement and bigger barreled carbs, and because you could fill up your tank for $5, nobody cared that their cars got 10 mpg on a good day
As an example, we couldn't fathom what the addition of hybrid tech would do for vehicle efficiency. We never thought we would see 450 hp 4 cyls that got 30 MPG. Of course the possibilities are not limitless...but to say they can't be further improved is silly.
It would require extensive hybridization and addition of EV tech, but you could make ICE engines more efficient sure, it just gets to a point where it doesnt make sense to keep doing so vs just moving to EV.
It would require extensive hybridization and addition of EV tech, but you could make ICE engines more efficient sure, it just gets to a point where it doesnt make sense to keep doing so vs just moving to EV.
Much the same goes for the EV tech, electric motors and battery tech that are available now have pretty much peaked out in terms of efficiency and capacity, and without some breakthrough new tech, there is not much room for improvement.
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You said "dramatic improvement" of ICE efficiency, and that's just not possible. Manufacturers have already made engineering choices to get ICEs to the current stage of efficiency at the expense of reliability and any further possible improvements would to be marginal and impractical from the point of cost, reliability and serviceability. Adding EV tech is not making ICE itself anymore efficient.
Much the same goes for the EV tech, electric motors and battery tech that are available now have pretty much peaked out in terms of efficiency and capacity, and without some breakthrough new tech, there is not much room for improvement.
Much the same goes for the EV tech, electric motors and battery tech that are available now have pretty much peaked out in terms of efficiency and capacity, and without some breakthrough new tech, there is not much room for improvement.
I won't formally take sides in the ICE-efficiency debate....IMO both you and Steve have some valid points. But I will point out that from the sources I've seen, most of today's ICE engines are around 40% efficient in terms of the amount of fuel burned, with the best maybe at 50%. So, yes, there may be room for improvement, but at what cost?..and would it be cost-effective?
BEVs were a giant leap in terms of efficiency. It would take billions to get ICE remotely close to a BEV now so why bother. You'd also make the hybrid vastly more complex doing so while the EV retains its simplicity. Also, that's assuming the BEV development stands still. Right now, it's the infancy of the technology and it will only get more efficient over time...way more headroom for the tech.