Automotive engine technology is challenged with tight emission regulation, increased efficiency and power density. Although fuel cell, electric and hybrid powered engines have gained momentum, the market penetration is slow due to price and infrastructure factors. Fossil-based fuel is still by far the most reliable power source. Please share your thoughts about the future power source for the automotive engine in the next 30-50 years.
These are the latest technologies under consideration:
1- Hybrid Cars use a rechargeable energy storage system to supplement fossil fuel energy for vehicle propulsion. Hybrid engines are smaller and more efficient than traditional fuel engines. Some hybrid vehicles use regenerative braking to generate electricity while travelling. The term "Hybrid Vehicle" can also refer to a vehicle engine that uses a combination of different fuels such as petroleum and ethanol. The articles on this page are on the topic of Hybrid vehicles and related technologies.
2- A small British firm is looking forward to a day in which we will take our cars to the garage and fill them with hydrogen. This is one of the breakthrough technologies. It is a bold dream but not a crazy one. The automotive industry is already far advanced with plans for a first generation of hydrogen cars. Hyundai, the South Korean manufacturer, has said it will soon start selling a hydrogen-powered version of its ix35 model. Meanwhile, the Japanese giant Toyota is expected to unveil its first nearly-production-ready foray into the territory at next month's Tokyo motor show. Other big names - including Daimler and Volkswagen - are thought to be on track to get hydrogen vehicles into showrooms by 2017. But few expect these first-generation hydrogen cars to sell in very large numbers. Hydrogen is widely seen as a dangerous fuel - an image underpinned by that grainy newsreel footage of the hydrogen-filled Hindenburg airship bursting into flames in the 1930s. They point out that hydrogen is already used and managed on a routine basis in industrial processes. The main reason anyone bothers with it as a fuel for the future is because it is emission-free at the point of use. The hydrogen is combined with oxygen in a bit of kit called a fuel cell. This process generates electricity to power the engine in the vehicle. The waste products are heat and harmless water. There are now over one billion cars traveling roads around the world directly and indirectly costing trillions of dollars in material resources, time and noxious emissions. Imagine all these cars running cleanly for 100 years on just 8 grams of fuel each.
3- Laser Power Systems (LPS) from Connecticut, USA, is developing a new method of automotive propulsion with one of the densest materials known in nature: thorium. Because thorium is so dense it has the potential to produce tremendous amounts of heat. The company has been experimenting with small bits of thorium, creating a laser that heats water, produces steam and powers a mini turbine. Current models of the engine weigh 500 pounds, easily fitting into the engine area of a conventionally-designed vehicle. According to CEO Charles Stevens, just one gram of the substance yields more energy than 7,396 gallons (28,000 L) of gasoline and 8 grams would power the typical car for a century. The idea of using thorium is not new. In 2009, Loren Kulesus designed the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel Concept Car. LPS is developing the technology so it can be mass-produced.
4- Electric vehicles have the greatest potential to reduce air pollution, as they are considered to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), due to absence of internal combustion (IC) engine fueled by fossil fuel in powertrain structure. However, due to some engineering and structural design specifications (the existence of a battery that powered the electric motor), at present, the EV batteries and rechargeable accumulators are charged by external electric power source. Thus, even if EVs are considered ZEV vehicles, they can still pollute the environment indirectly, due to pollutant emissions stemming from electricity production process in power plants in. The following factors are considered main barriers to increasing the car market share for EVs:
• The median EV purchase price is almost 100% greater than for a new IC engine car;
• Significant limitations regarding the autonomy and charging time of most EVs (average value for autonomy is considered to be 130 km and mostly EVs need 6 hours for a complete charging cycle);
• Battery capacity is relatively low, the usable energy depending directly on ambient temperature, car usage (driving style and traffic conditions) and charging technology.
My view - Future fuel will be petroleum-based but will have the new formulation with the combination of gasoline and diesel characteristics. Natural gas will also have wide usage in urban areas if the technological breakthrough in engine architecture and fuel storage are found. Electric (battery/fuel cell) will only be viable with advanced and comprehensive infrastructure.
These are the latest technologies under consideration:
1- Hybrid Cars use a rechargeable energy storage system to supplement fossil fuel energy for vehicle propulsion. Hybrid engines are smaller and more efficient than traditional fuel engines. Some hybrid vehicles use regenerative braking to generate electricity while travelling. The term "Hybrid Vehicle" can also refer to a vehicle engine that uses a combination of different fuels such as petroleum and ethanol. The articles on this page are on the topic of Hybrid vehicles and related technologies.
2- A small British firm is looking forward to a day in which we will take our cars to the garage and fill them with hydrogen. This is one of the breakthrough technologies. It is a bold dream but not a crazy one. The automotive industry is already far advanced with plans for a first generation of hydrogen cars. Hyundai, the South Korean manufacturer, has said it will soon start selling a hydrogen-powered version of its ix35 model. Meanwhile, the Japanese giant Toyota is expected to unveil its first nearly-production-ready foray into the territory at next month's Tokyo motor show. Other big names - including Daimler and Volkswagen - are thought to be on track to get hydrogen vehicles into showrooms by 2017. But few expect these first-generation hydrogen cars to sell in very large numbers. Hydrogen is widely seen as a dangerous fuel - an image underpinned by that grainy newsreel footage of the hydrogen-filled Hindenburg airship bursting into flames in the 1930s. They point out that hydrogen is already used and managed on a routine basis in industrial processes. The main reason anyone bothers with it as a fuel for the future is because it is emission-free at the point of use. The hydrogen is combined with oxygen in a bit of kit called a fuel cell. This process generates electricity to power the engine in the vehicle. The waste products are heat and harmless water. There are now over one billion cars traveling roads around the world directly and indirectly costing trillions of dollars in material resources, time and noxious emissions. Imagine all these cars running cleanly for 100 years on just 8 grams of fuel each.
3- Laser Power Systems (LPS) from Connecticut, USA, is developing a new method of automotive propulsion with one of the densest materials known in nature: thorium. Because thorium is so dense it has the potential to produce tremendous amounts of heat. The company has been experimenting with small bits of thorium, creating a laser that heats water, produces steam and powers a mini turbine. Current models of the engine weigh 500 pounds, easily fitting into the engine area of a conventionally-designed vehicle. According to CEO Charles Stevens, just one gram of the substance yields more energy than 7,396 gallons (28,000 L) of gasoline and 8 grams would power the typical car for a century. The idea of using thorium is not new. In 2009, Loren Kulesus designed the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel Concept Car. LPS is developing the technology so it can be mass-produced.
4- Electric vehicles have the greatest potential to reduce air pollution, as they are considered to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), due to absence of internal combustion (IC) engine fueled by fossil fuel in powertrain structure. However, due to some engineering and structural design specifications (the existence of a battery that powered the electric motor), at present, the EV batteries and rechargeable accumulators are charged by external electric power source. Thus, even if EVs are considered ZEV vehicles, they can still pollute the environment indirectly, due to pollutant emissions stemming from electricity production process in power plants in. The following factors are considered main barriers to increasing the car market share for EVs:
• The median EV purchase price is almost 100% greater than for a new IC engine car;
• Significant limitations regarding the autonomy and charging time of most EVs (average value for autonomy is considered to be 130 km and mostly EVs need 6 hours for a complete charging cycle);
• Battery capacity is relatively low, the usable energy depending directly on ambient temperature, car usage (driving style and traffic conditions) and charging technology.
The future power source will probably still be oil and gas derivatives and either blends or pure ethanol/methanol. Methanol is easy and inespensive to manufacture from methane and syngas, even from CO2. (see Methanol Synthesis over Cu/ZnO/Al2O3:The Active Site
in Industrial Catalysis Malte Behrens et. al.)
The power source may be either high efficiency internal combustion engines, using higher compression ratios, allowed by Methanol, and therefor higher thermal efficiencies. We may also see the appearance of efficient Alcohol based fuel cells much later on.
One can furhter imagine the entry of multi fuel turbo-generators hybrids as well, with the benefit of very low emmissions from gas turbines, combined with a high efficiency storage system, to compensate for the narrow efficient range of gas turbines.
Judging to the financial muscle of the oil and gas industry, I expect the fuels to remain based in fossil fuels for a long time to come.
I agree that it will still be petrolium-based hybrid. Petrolum products has high energy density and can be caried around easily and last long.
I think solid fuel should have a place. It requires a small volume and can be 'protected' (less fire hazard).
Please see below for a most interesting and comprehensive report on this matter, based on wells-to-wheels considerations, and just published earlier this week by the EU Joint Research Center, EUCAR and Concawe:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm?id=1410&dt_code=NWS&obj_id=19530
In my (optimistic) view, Power-To-Gas (P2G) will be further developed to produce "green methane" for cars from renewable sources, such as wind or solar power, by means of electrolysis. Through this approach, we could use already existing networks of gas pipes, such as in Austria for example, and make use of nearly CO2-free fuel. Additionally, if we used this CO2 minimized "green methane", we would not have to develop new engine types because gas powered engines are technically perfected. Furthermore, we would not need to dig for new materials, which might pose social or environmental threats.
In short: I believe that hybrid cars with modified starters to serve as a cheap electrical motor in combination with an merely conventional engine powered with "green methane" from renewable sources will be the future.
I wonder if there have been work on forecasting engine technology (Fisher Pry, Gompertz etc. models) to see how far have the electric and hybrid engines go in the technology advancement cycle.
As long as challenges exist upon the oil power, the oil company owners and holders won't let any other kind of energy be used on vehicles massively, but after that, i don't know when, researchers can use their advanced hybrid engines,hydrogen, fuel cells...
I think no body has covered on Solar and Water energy which is available in abundance. Apart from that nuclear energy although it seems dangerous idea but if it can be used safe and smaller and portable scale it can produce wonder.
There is another feature in my dream i.e electrical energy without wire supply input. Right now battery operated , electric vehicle engines are in place but rarely wireless transfer of electrical energy is thought which can produce wonder.
There is a french company which is researching on car which will be propelled by air. If that works out, it out would a groundbreaking achievement in future mobility.
I agree with both ravindra and rushabh. Wireless transfer electrical energy and compressed air vehicle can grip the market if found efficient.
I agree with Mr. David Johnson that oil and fuel derivatives and liquid alternative fuels like ethanol blend and biodiesel still play major role for future energy source for automotive engines. Other types i.e. hybrid, electric car and fuel cell are ongoing developed but not yet reach all around the globe. Considering energy sources, supply (availability, fuel conversion efficiency, handling and safety) and maintenance must also be taken into account.
In my opinion, hydrogen will be the best alternative fuel energy for automotive in future due to its low cost and zero emission.But it will need a lot of research work to get its optimal performance.
What ever fuel is available, liquid or gaseous, the combustion mode will global where the entire mass ignites by controlled auto ignition as documented in SAE 2004-01-1677.
See my experiment finding and research article to get exact answer of your question.
This is a very interesting topic. I am not an expert at all but wonder where we are now with renewable energy. In Europe, governments seem to be pushing for electric cars (EVs), but I do not understand the point, since we already know that we cannot produce enough electricity (on the current state of electric power production, which, by the way, isn't emission free) to replace all fossil fuel-powered vehicles. Is this pushed by powerful lobbies or can we really get there with EVs? Can an expert please give us an update on the state of renewable energy for transportation? Thank you!
The Moral Case for Internal Combustion Engines Powered By Ethanol
https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2019/11/15/748379-moral-case-for-internal-combustion-engines-powered-by-ethanol.html
Ethanol is the SAVIOR of the Oil Industry, Convenience Store Industry, Automotive Supply Chain Industry and Much More!
https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2019/09/19/702173-ethanol-is-savior-oil-industry-convenience-industry-supply-chain-industry.html
The Argument Is Over: ETHANOL IS THE BETTER FUEL!
https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2019/07/23/673034-argument-is-over-ethanol-is-better-fuel.html
Ethanol-Gasoline Debate: Rauch vs. Lynch - Part 1 and Part 2
https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2019/09/18/701225-ethanol-gasoline-debate-rauch-vs-lynch-part-1.html
I think Hydrogen indeed will become a very important source for the automotive industry. If emissions are very important and on short distances (for instance transportation within a city), batteries can play an important role.
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