Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird
Any loophole you think you might have will be closed if any sizable portion of the population suddenly was using it in their daily commute. Elio better go with car standards if they are smart rather then having to re-engineer the thing again when the DOT reclassifies it a car.
Not directed at RustyLugNut, but that Scientific American article quoted was I believe from the early 50's. So if you have a flathead Ford, a vapor carb might be the ticket... that or a modern MPI sysyem.
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The fact that the United States emissions requirements are in grams per mile allows a somewhat "dirty" engine to pass emissions if the fuel efficiency was high enough. In working with Jack McCornack, while he was still aiming for the Auto Xprize, he calculated his re-booted Lotus could pass Tier II emissions if he could get around 115 mpg. This, even before any implementation of after treatment technology.
As far as a production vehicle, ICEs (internal combustion engines) will become more specialized and will benefit from the hybridization craze going on right now. The Chevy Bolt/Volt could use a much more advanced range extender instead of a warmed over production engine. Achates is a company just up the road from my family's condo, and it has made advances to the classic opposed piston engine. It is working with Cummins Inc. as well as the military for various applications. It would be ideal to have a 2 cylinder ( 4 piston ) engine optimized to run at a single speed, powering a hybrid as a range extending engine.