Technologies to Improve Fuel Economy

Technologies to Improve Fuel Economy

    1.   Lightweight Materials:- reducing vehicle wave is an effective way to improve efficiency. However it must be done consistent with passenger safety. Newer vehicles are making extensive use of advanced materials for example composite body panels, high strength, light weight, aluminium structural components etc. Even conventional materials can improve safety while reducing wave if more sophisticated structural design are used.

    2.      Reduced Resistance:- Drag and the friction between road and wheels are the two main resistances to the vehicle motion, which if reduced can improve the efficiency. Improve aerodynamics design of the vehicle body along with slippery body panels can decreased drag. Improving the profile of components such as side view mirrors, radio antenna etc. can reduced the wing resistance further. Rolling friction can be reduced by using low resistance tyres.

   3.     Variable Valve Timing:- Valve opening and closing can be fine-tuned with the help of computer control, which would improve the engine efficiency enhanced improves fuel economy.

   4.     Regenerative Braking:- This causes some of the vehicle kinetic energy to be recaptured as electricity, when the brakes are applied. During breaking the motor acts as a generator taking kinetic energy from the wheels and converting the same to electrical energy that is used to charge the batteries.

  5.   Cylinder Deactivation:- When less power is required by the vehicle, one or more engine cylinders can be deactivated which can be reactivated whenever more power is required, thus producing only optimum power this method especially useful in case of heavy trucks , where eight or ten cylinders engine may be used for hauling a trailer carrying large pay loads, but the maximum engine power is not required when lighter loads are being carried.

  6.    Integrated Started Generator:- The use of integrated started generator in conventional vehicles reducing the fuel consumption and improved acceleration it is found that this may improve fuel economy of conventional vehicles by about 20% however due to heavy electrical power requirements for the integrated started generator the same is being developed preferably with 42 volt system.