Filed under: MPG, Volkswagen
Axel Friedrich on reducing fuel consumption: "It's nothing magic."
"We need solutions for the next 20 years, not just dreams," according to Axel Friedrich, and he is absolutely right. Not only do we need solutions for the future, but we need solutions for today. This goes for the United States, Europe and the entire world. According to this article on the Wall Street Journal (sub. required), Germany, a country from which some of the fastest, most powerful cars come from, is especially at odds with emissions and fuel mileage regulations. I hear a great deal of consternation happening here in the States too, but maybe it's worse in Germany. Recently, Friedrich irked Volkswagen by taking their most popular model (the Golf) and getting Universities to improve its efficiency by reducing the weight of the vehicle and making other changes. Not surprisingly, this had the effect of reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions. Volkswagen was not amused, though, and they stated that the changes to the car could compromise usability, safety and increase the price.
Many of the ideas that Friedrich is suggesting were covered in our post about the top ten easiest ways to save gas now. He also is not a hydrogen supporter, after his company looked into the fuel carrier and deemed it unfeasible. No matter, as he is certainly right about the need to make changes now, not later. Internal combustion is here to stay, probably for many years to come. Therefore, it would be unwise to sleep on making them as efficient as possible. Until the day that alternative cars are the rule and not the exception, though, we are likely to support all of the possible solutions to our oil addiction.
[Source: The Wall Street Journal]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rgseidl 6:20PM (8/31/2007)
Basically, these are exactly the kinds of measures VW has taken in their diesel-powered BlueMotion variants (and e variants at Audi). The Golf BlueMotion will be unveiled at the Frankfurt show, so I can understand if VW is miffed when a University steals their thunder. Thee 25% may apply to a gasoline engine, though.
Note that authorities in Europe are not yet ready to accept a video camera as a replacement for a side mirror.
Note also that drivetrain concept emphasizing operating the engine at low RPM and high torque are best implemented using a DCT transmission (cp. VW DSG) because anything more than light acceleration will require a kickdown event. It can be done with a manual, but its so tedious drivers tend to stick with a lower gear.
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Andrew A Pouring 5:21PM (9/06/2007)
I thought someone might like to hear what this individual has been doing with regard to global warming and energy conservation for nearly 30 years as well as some of the challenges and road blocks encountered over the years. Even now, with energy issues and global warming effects as part of our daily life, our technology, capable of a major paradigm shift is ignored or dismissed as irrelevant.
Sonex Research, Inc. is the company I founded to do something about the energy crisis and engine emissions based on research findings from student and faculty research in joint programs between the U.S. Naval Academy, Univ. of Md. and George Washington Univ. I left a tenured full professorship at the USNA to “work in a garage” because it was the right thing to do years before global warming was even mentioned.
Our R&D efforts have finally produced results that are important on a national and global scale with a combustion process for engines that has demonstrated a 25% to 30% improvement in fuel consumption with attendant low emission, both CO2 and toxic types. This has been demonstrated in an ongoing program for DARPA – the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – using military diesel JP5 fuel. The feasibility of using this combustion process we call SCAI - Sonex Controlled Auto Ignition – on gasoline, ethanol, and methanol has also been demonstrated. We have many peer reviewed theoretical and experimental publications, patents and Engineering Society presentations given on this process over the last 30 years.
You would think someone, somewhere would be interested but we have been unable to illicit a response from government or industry. I have presented our work in this country and abroad but the response is virtually nil, everyone is more interested in “protecting their own turf” than advancing society. Industry asks for “more compelling data” no matter how much we provide, government agencies just ignore it. There is just so much that six people can do with very limited resources.
Is there anything you can do to help break this stalemate?
Andrew A. Pouring, D.Eng.
CEO and Chief Technical Officer
Sonex Research, Inc.
23 Hudson Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: 410-266-5556
Fax: 410-266-5653
email: Andrew.Pouring@sonex-na.com
URL : sonexresearch.com
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Bob Irwin 3:52PM (5/27/2008)
Mr. Pouring's missive is well founded. His company and others have created and patented solutions that have been available for years, but no one seems to really care. I suggested to Aptera (California based auto manufacturer) when they noted that they were having difficulty finding a small diesel engine to augment their hybrid model, that they contact Sonex Research rather than try to reinvent the wheel. Hopefully, they will follow up, as it is not just California than wants their car, it is the rest of us as well.
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