Fuel-Stingy Technologies Set Sights on 54.5 MPG
 

An article at Design News about different ideas that tier 1 suppliers are pitching to the Detroit 3 to reach the CAFE mandates. Some have been in use around here for some time. Others will give us new toys to play with.

Design News - Captain Hybrid - Slideshow: Fuel-Stingy Technologies Set Sights on 54.5 MPG

54.5 mpg? Are they aiming in the rear-view mirror? 2000 Honda Insight, lifetime average 71.4 so far.

I never considered using aluminum wiring for weight reduction. Neat!

James, you know what is going on here. This is CAFE, corperate average fuel economy, not 54.5 mpg is the best we can make.

The aluminum wiring is tres neat. The slideshow is a bit redundant in some points, though... too much direct injection. I like Toyota's take, dual injector. Much like a system Nissan was proposing before as a way of getting around the need for higher injection pressures.

I've also been watching Delphi's Cam Phasers with interest for some years now.

HCCI is also a potent idea, but it's been years, and the sensors needed for the technology still cost an arm and a leg.

McLaren MP4-12C lost 10lbs or something like that with aluminum wiring :D

Better yet, aluminum wiring is dirt cheap compared to copper.

while i love all those technologies, and the fact that some of them have been around on cars for 3yrs+

aluminum wiring isn't one i'd want to repair, can't solder it; and then there's copper wire is currently more available mixing cu/al wires is not suggested.

oh and they got the fiat multi-air wrong; it's more variable hydraulic lift, still relies on a camshaft to operate.