How Petrol Engines Can Survive in an Electric Car Future
Evolution is the process of gradual development of anything and history teaches us that evolution always thrives. A part of evolution is to comply with the changes around. Failure to adapt to changes can make the commodity extinct. The same rule applies to the automobile industry. Petrol cars have been people’s preferred choice for more than a century but recent times have seen electric cars take the spotlight. Although electric cars have been around since the 19th century, it was not until the last few decades that they became a true sensation. But what does this popularity mean for the future of petrol cars? Let’s delve into the details.
How Electric Cars Became Popular
Electric cars might have gained mass popularity in recent years but they have been around for a long time. In fact, the history of electric cars dates back to the 19th century. The evolution of electric cars highlights the obstacles faced by electric cars and how battery-powered vehicles thrived after their early failures.
Petrol prices in the UAE and around the world have witnessed fluctuations in recent times. Petrol prices were one of the main reasons for the low popularity of electric vehicles but that is a thing of the past. Recent times have seen hikes in petrol prices and now this factor has become one of the reasons why electric cars have become popular.
Another reason why electric cars became popular was their environmental-friendly features. No harmful emissions, no noise, etc all contributed to the fame of electric cars. These features caught the eye of the governments and they also launched campaigns to promote green transportation. The number of electric charging stations has increased in the UAE with 325 stations in Dubai.
The Future of Petrol Cars
While there might be some gloomy clouds over the future of combustion engine, it is highly unlikely that petrol cars will disappear from the scene for good. Petrol cars have been around for centuries and it’s not like people are getting rid of their cars to replace them with electric cars. That said, car manufacturers are putting their heads together to produce petrol cars that are environment-friendly and consume less fuel.
Let’s go through the methods that car manufacturers can adopt to make combustion engines environment-friendly and be helpful for the future of petrol cars.
A 98-OCTANE FUEL STANDARD
An engine’s power density and thermodynamic efficiency are significantly increased simply by being able to build it to run at 15:1 or higher compression, making way for further engine downsizing. That necessitates higher-octane fuel, and a research-octane number (RON) of 98 indicates a sweet spot, over which the energy required to produce or refine the fuel increases and the fuel’s well-to-wheels energy/CO2 benefit decreases.
SMART CYLINDER DEACTIVATION
Engines are built to handle the worst-case scenarios, such as towing large loads or accelerating to a quarter-mile speed. By forcing a few cylinders to work hard while the others do nothing, cylinder deactivation increases the economy in less stressful driving scenarios.
For instance, dynamic fuel management can shut down all or any cylinders in GM’s 5.3 and 6.2 litres V8 engines. This can raise EPA fuel economy by almost 12 percent.
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SPECIAL IGNITION SYSTEMS
Since fuel burns slowly, typical spark plugs in a car ignite while the piston is already moving upwards, making the first combustion useless. Plans to concurrently ignite more of the mixture promise faster combustion, allowing it to mostly occur on the downstroke.
For instance, Ford created near-infrared lasers that can fire numerous spots in a combustion chamber, but cost and dependability still remain the issues.
UNIQUE BLOWERS
The amount of air that an engine can consume determines its power, which is why turbochargers and superchargers with the crankshaft and exhaust power were created more than a century ago. The Volvo Drive E and Mercedes M256 engines, among others, are powered by car superchargers that use recovered energy. By adding a motor/generator to a turbocharger, lag under power is eliminated, and energy harvesting while cruising is made possible.
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HOMOGENEOUS-CHARGE COMPRESSION IGNITION
Homogeneous-Charge Compression Ignition(HCCI) is the ultimate combustion technique for reducing CO2 and producing clean exhaust using auto-ignition of fuel, like in a diesel engine. Few leading automobile manufacturers such as GM, Mercedes, and Hyundai have had good HCCI programs. There are other ways as well to reduce carbon footprint in cars. However, time will tell if we will witness HCCI in cars anytime soon.
WASTE ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEMS
Combustion engines make a lot of vibrations and heat. It is therefore a viable option to use them for generating thermoelectric, steam power, or piezoelectric energy. Additionally, solid-state thermoelectric generators can be used to transform heat from exhaust components, straight into electricity. This can contribute a great deal to the future of petrol cars.
BIOFUELS FOR CARBON-NEUTRAL COMBUSTION
Biofuels are made from biomass over a short period of time. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are not dependent on the slow natural decomposition process. Biofuels can be the solution to one of the highlighted issues of combustion engines; harmful gas emissions. Biofuel for transportation industry can be a gamechanger.
The advantages of biofuels are as follows:
- Lower emissions as biofuels do not release as much carbon as fossil fuels
- Renewable as they are made from organic items even organic waste
- Biodegradable as they break down naturally without causing harm to the environment
- Safer as they can even be grown on a farm while fossil fuels require dangerous extractions
Will Electric Cars Take Over Petrol Cars?
The advantages of electric cars for the environment along with other benefits are hard to ignore but those don’t rule out petrol cars as a whole. The world is witnessing technological advancements and automobile manufacturers are looking for ways to eliminate the harmful aspects of petrol cars and make them environment-friendly. The future of fuel cars will be decided by their adaptation to change.
These were the methods manufacturers can use to secure the future of petrol cars. Scientists and engineers can work together to produce more innovative ideas so petrol cars can witness the glory days again. Innovations in petrol cars will decide the future of petrol stations as well. The willingness to improve petrol cars is there so we can expect good things in the future.
That said, if you are looking for a petrol or electric car, be sure to check out these used cars for sale in the UAE and select from a plethora of vehicles listed. You can go through the pros and cons of buying a used electric car to help you decide better.
Moreover, check out our comparison between biofuel vs fossil fuel to see other environment-friendly fuel options.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information.