Diesel-Like Engine Could Boost Fuel Economy By 50%

bonch writes "Autoparts manufacturer Delphi has developed a diesel-like ignition engine running on gasoline, providing a potential 50 percent efficiency improvement over existing gas-powered engines. Engineers have long sought to run diesel-like engines on gasoline for its higher efficiency and low emissions. Delphi's engine, using a technique called gasoline-direct-injection compression ignition, could rival the performance of hybrid automobiles at a cheaper cost."

Comments

Was only a matter of time

[Anonymous Coward]

From what I understand, the major challenge of combustion without a spark plug for gasoline is preignition. High pressure direct injection allows normal spark-plug motors to run at higher compression ratios with lower chance of knock (preignition), so that was part of it, but I wonder what other fabulous tech was used to get this to be feasibly production ready. Very cool.

Re:Well let me be the first to say...

[h4rr4r]

For the vast majority of uses it won't matter. If you could get me 60mpg I would take 20 seconds 0-60. Old beetles were that bad and lots of people bought those. They also had crap for a top speed and were not what anyone would call responsive.

Re:Redundant

[Surt]

I don't think it's much of a moving target ... electric needs to reach a 600 mile range and charge in 10 minutes. That will make it an effective transportation alternative for all current automotive travel. It really doesn't need to get any better than that.

It's hard to see how electric can be beat in the long run. Even a 50% decrease in fuel use won't make gasoline fueling the cheaper choice.