GM engine 15% more efficient - 28-08-2007 - 15:43

Automotive engineers at General Motors (GM) are working on an engine that could improve fuel economy by 15 per cent.

The automaker claimed that the engines, which are being developed for the Saturn Aura and the Opel Vectra, could get achieve the better rate of miles per gallon of petrol without resorting to cost-raising emissions controls.

Instead of relying on a spark to ignite fuel and produce the heat that powers the engine, the new design relies on a technique adopted from diesel engines - compressing fuel and air.

The new process produces a low-temperature flameless release of energy that sees all the fuel burn simultaneously.

Professor Dr. Uwe Grebe, executive director for GM Powertrain Advanced Engineering, said: "Although our development costs have been substantial, we have made tremendous strides."

He added: "Additional development costs, including research and testing programs, are required to make the technology ready."

Fuel cell car races into record books - 23-08-2007 - 11:14

Automotive engineers have designed a hydrogen fuel cell car that has broken the previous landspeed record for a car of that type.

A Ford Fusion broke the record by reaching 207.29mph at the Bonnevile Salt Flats in Utah.

Ford engineers designed the Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 which instead of being powered by traditional gasoline or diesel gets it 536bhp from 400KW hydrogen fuel cells.

"What we've accomplished is nothing short of an industry first," said Gerhard Shmidt, vice president, research and advanced engineering for Ford.

"No other automaker in the world has come close. We established this project to advance fuel-cell-powered vehicles and to do what has never been done before; and we did it."

The fuel cell and electric power trains were engineered in cooperation with Ohio State University, Ballard and Roush.

According to a statement from the company, the successful speed trial makes the Fusion 999 Hydrogen the first production hydrogen fuel cell-based race car.

Motorsport Academy recognises automotive engineering courses - 17-08-2007 - 11:00

The Motorsport Academy has awarded the University of Hertfordshire the award of UK Recognised Educator.

After participating in a pilot of the Motorsport Academy's Employer Recognition Scheme, the university was given the accreditation.

The purpose of the scheme is to recognise trainers and teachers who prepare people looking to pursue careers in the motorsport industry and the University of Hertfordshire has demonstrated its commitment to automotive engineering.

UH racing, which participated in the Formula Student race, is based at the university and the team also demonstrated a hydrogen-powered racing car as well as a racing car for disabled drivers.

At the launch of the scheme, Alan Combes, head of automotive engineering at the university, said: "The main reason we went for this award is because we feel that lots of institutions are jumping on the bandwagon of teaching motorsport and we felt that we needed a way to distinguish ourselves as a leading provider of motorsport courses."

The Motorsport Academy was set up to create and develop a single organisation to coordinate the high level of practical and engineering education and training required to secure a job and achieve in the motorsport industry.

100mpg race is on - 13-08-2007 - 17:02

While designing cars which could reach 100 miles per hour was the automotive challenge in the past, the new challenge is to reach fuel efficiency of 100 miles per gallon.

The race is on among car makers to win the Automotive X-Prize which will award the firm which first produces a commercially viable car which can do 100mpg.

While the Toyota Prius, the most high profile of the new breed of fuel efficient cars, is not set to breach the 100 miles per gallon mark until 2009, a German car has nearly doubled that figure.

The Loremo L1, a prototype diesel already achieves 188 miles per gallon, managing to reach that level of fuel efficiency through the use of ultra-light construction.

Loremo L1s weigh around 450 kilograms and have very little wind resistance.

It is not the most convenient car, with the rear seats mounted above the engine making them suitable only for children.

The car does offer airbags, air-con, sat-nav and an MP3 stereo, and with an estimated price tag of £7,500 might be in line to take the prize.