Stumbled upon this article today about LED headlight technology from Hella.
Quote:
Luminous flux equal to xenon
Hella is developing complete headlamps using LED technology as a study provides information about possible series application from 2008.
The light and electronics specialist Hella, in cooperation with Volkswagen, has developed an LED headlamp which achieves low beam, high beam, direction indicator and daytime running light functions using cutting-edge LED technology only. The LED headlamp is a study using the VW Golf 5 as an example. It is to provide information about the performance ability of such systems and also offers the possibility of experiencing technical challenges in operation in the vehicle. A series solution is expected for the year 2008.
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The full article and pictures can be found
HERE.
I'm excited by this report because it's showing an interest in viably offering LED headlamps in entry level cars and not just on the High end vehicles.
Using LEDs for every source of light in a vehicle would be able to help increase FE via reduced engine drag from the alternator under electrical load.
Just think if we could get retrofit units for older vehicles, especially ones that don't have power windows or locks. The electrical loads could be greatly reduced on a vehicle since the wattage from lighting would be virtually cut in half. That would mean that the big wattage drains would be from stereo and climate control fans then (excluding power windows and locks). Both the stereo and climate control fans (along with the defroster) could be manually shut off to relieve electrical loads. The ignition system would be one of the harder systems to change the electrical demand on though.