Advancements in automobile engine technology have continued to rise exponentially, specifically in the past decade, where efforts have been focused on alternative engine technology. The passenger vehicle world has increasingly been looking towards ways in which to phase out the internal combustion engine, and alternative engine developments such as electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell engines. This new engine from this automobile developer is set to contribute to these ongoing developments.
The road towards sustainable engine technology
Currently, the world is facing pressing concerns regarding the future of sustainability for the planet. Internal combustion engines release carbon emissions, which contribute to irreversible climate change damage. In order to address this, the transportation industry has been looking for ways to transform the industry, decreasing reliance on fossil fuel technology.
Out of this, alternative engine solutions have continued to rise, with the electric engine taking dominance in this sphere. Thanks to developments from advanced battery-engine technology from innovators such as electric vehicle company Tesla, which has been considered a pioneer of electric vehicle developments, the electric engine for passenger vehicles has become the most popular type of alternative vehicle technology, especially hybrid-electric engines.
Other alternative engine developments that have risen along with the electric engine include the hydrogen fuel-cell engine. This type of alternative engine approach has been particularly championed by Japanese engine developers such as Toyota and Hyundai. While electric hybrid vehicles do continue to dominate the passenger vehicle world, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles provide an additional path towards carbon neutrality in the transportation industry, especially in sectors where battery-engine technology is not viable, such as the aviation industry.
New transformative ‘self-rotating’ engine
Adding to new developments in the electric vehicle world, Indian automaker Avadi developed a ‘self-rotating’ engine last year, which reimagines the traditional rotary engine by developing a rotating piston.
“…two connecting rods and their corresponding pinion gears reside in what we call a ‘halfshaft.’… the halfshaft can be likened to the heart of the Avadi design, it is essentially the housing where up-and-down piston motion is translated to rotational motion,” describes Avadii on their website.
While the engine remains a prototype, it has been in the works for years by Avadi, with the company hoping that the engine could advance electric engines by providing a more efficient internal combustion engine, which is more efficient and provides, reportedly, decreased carbon emissions. In the interim, while alternative engine vehicle sales continue to be the minority of global vehicle sales, creating more sustainable internal combustion engines needs to continue to be a priority, while the world shifts towards adopting more sustainable solutions. The new engine by Avadi has the potential to be adopted by major automakers such as General Motors and Ford if it reaches mass production.
Working on increasing more renewable solutions.
With time being of the essence, developments of reimagined internal combustion engines like the ones from Avadi highlight how a gap needs to be bridged between internal combustion engines and alternative engine technology to assist consumers with choosing more renewable engine choices, while, at the same time, increased supporting infrastructure is developed by stakeholders beyond the transportation industry.
Other automobile developers are also continuing to expand their alternative engine developments globally, ensuring that their solutions reach an increased global audience as competition remains high between developers to dominate this sector while also pushing for more sustainable adoptions. South Korean automobile developer, KIA, recently confirmed that their electric compact SUV, the E3, is soon set to hit American roads from next year, bringing more compact SUV model options for American consumers. The automobile developer will need to compete with the likes of American giants such as Ford, however, whose models remain popular.
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