Fuel efficiency has long been a significant issue for the automotive industry. Since the levels of efficiency vary per vehicle and their respective technologies, consumers are faced with a vast multitude of buying options. Many factors come into play when determining a given vehicles fuel economy. For instance, the weight, engine size and overall framework of a vehicle significantly affect how efficiently it utilizes fuel.
Engines that use diesel fuel usually attain better gas mileage than engines that use common gasoline. On average, diesel engines gain approximately 10% better fuel efficiency than engines utilizing common gasoline. Simply put, this is achieved because diesel engines ignite from heat compression rather than from a spark. The diesel engine's high compression ratio is more efficient than a gasoline engine's because it only compresses air whereas a gas engine mixes air with the gasoline.
Hybrid electric vehicles are another way in which fuel efficiency is being improved by contemporary technology. These automobiles utilize utilize both a combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Not only do hybrids achieve better mileage than traditional vehicles, they also release significantly fewer harmful emissions such as CO2 into the air.
Currently, automotive designers have even implemented ways for vehicles to run off of hydrogen-fueled rockets. However, hydrogen fuel isn't a naturally-occurring agent on Earth. So scientists and engineers must find efficient ways in which it can be produced locally within the vehicle - either through wind or by solar-power.
Sources:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/di_diesels.shtml
http://what-is-what.com/what_is/hybrid_vehicle.html
http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/proj_wind_hydrogen.html
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