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...What About A Normal Engine?
This may come as a surprise, but traditional internal combustion engines represent a solid green choice based on their improving fuel economy and comparatively low cost.
"Technologies such as dual variable valve timing, reduced pumping losses, and improved engine control systems will be where mileage improvements in internal combustion engines come from," Toyota's Dan Yerace, a senior powertrain engineer, said. "Also, the trend toward more forward gears in transmissions will contribute to mileage gains."
What this means is that a variety of technical improvements will make gasoline engines more efficient. Additionally, by adding more gears to automatic transmissions (including overdrive ratios), engines can run more slowly at any given speed, thus saving even more fuel.
According to Volkswagen's Group Powertrain Engineer Wolfgang Hatz, internal combustion engines will continue to improve. Hatz estimates that the fuel economy of gasoline engines will improve 15 percent in the coming years. This is a figure confirmed by engineers from other manufacturers.
Both Ford Motor Company and General Motors are already introducing gasoline engines with a new type of fuel injection that enhances fuel economy. Their engines utilize direct injection that helps boost mpg up to 20 percent...
+15-20% in regular old ICE tech is what we can look forward to. Of course, we can also expect better packaging (size, weight, aero, tranny) to exceed the 15-20.