Modern high-tech materials and efficient design result in our cars being resistant to corrosion, particularly when in daily use. Wind rushing through body cavities keep them free of condensation. Single garages designed twenty years ago are just too small for the over stuffed cars we run now. It is no wonder that many home owners are converting their garages to annexes and reception rooms.
Spam is filtered. To comment on this posting please start your comment with “Hi John” otherwise it will be treated as spam and ignored.
Combustion engines require expensive complexity to run at all speeds and loads yet still comply with emission regulations. They need stiff mounts to resist transmission torque. This requires expensive balancing to reduce harshness being transmitted to the vehicle body. They have poor low speed torque and need to be driven hard at modest speed to run efficiently. They need to be powerful to give good acceleration which reduces the efficiency at normal road speed. Electric motors have none of these deficiencies. A small efficient combustion generator can keep the batteries charged up and the range of our car can be into four figures. Can someone please make me a small electric hatchback with a tiny diesel generator to keep the batteries charged up?
Spam is filtered. To comment on this posting please start your comment with “Hi John” otherwise it will be treated as spam and ignored.
Ford has developed a tiny three pot petrol engine capable of powering its MPV. Contrary to the usual practice of having a wide bore to allow large valves in the head, Ford has used a long stroke engine and overcome the limitations of poor breathing by using forced induction. You would expect this to be a recipe for poor fuel consumption due to pumping losses – yet the laws of Physics seem to have been bent. This engine is claimed to be both powerful and fuel efficient.
John Silvester on motoring and other musings
