As much as I like the idea of a hydrogen fuel-cell/nuke-plant-powered future, there's a lot of miles left in ye olde internal combustion mill. For instance, if you replaced mechanically-motivated valves with electronically operated ones, you'd increase both power and mileage. And if you could somehow get the power of a two-stroke engine without constantly burning oil and piston rings or needing a carburetor, why you'd be popping wheelies like a Yamaha RZ 350! Ricardo says yes we can. Their "2/4SIGHT" is a single bank from a V6 set-up to run as two-stroke/four-stroke. Allegedly, it seamlessly switches between two- and four-stroke cycles as power demand increases and decreases. In theory, a 2.1-liter V6 [theoretically] would thus produces 265hp and 339 ft.-lbs. of torque at 2,500 rpm, 27 percent fuel savings and lower carbon emissions. Sadly for now, 2/4SIGHT uses a whole raft of high-tech solutions (boost, injection, intake and exhaust valves are all variable for each cylinder); it's not ready for prime time. We'll keep you posted.
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No, no, no. We can not accept improving the efficiency of the ICE. We must adopt wild new technologies with undertermined efficiency improvements and environmental impact. Like when we replaced butter with trans fats for our health.
It’ll probably show up around the same time we get that Coates rotary engine.
I would hardly consider the turbo on the Ecotec a big ol turbo, lol.
guyincognito :
The article is honest in mentioning that this particular solution includes its’ own raft of wild technologies as well.
Seriously though, I’d like to see this thing in action. The sound alone should be hilarious and it’s hard to argue with that amount of power from that displacement. I’m hard pressed to believe this thing wouldn’t require some exotic emissions equipment to compliment it though.
I’m still waiting for delivery of a new 1963 Chrysler Turbine car. Or a new Studebaker turbine.
Or a Stirling powered Ford.
Alternately, I’d settle for a Wankel powered AMC Pacer. Maybe. OK maybe not.
Maybe I’ll get lucky and Honda will want to sell off the ex-lease Honda fuel cell FCX futuro-swoop burgundy jobs to a guy in the midwest, in a few years. Oh, wait, the hydrogen filling stations are in California.
Foiled again.
I learned to drive a motorcycle on an RZ-350. That little bike would sound like it was going to stall at 4000 rpm. Not until 7000 did it really wake up and man was that a rush.
I now have to satisfy myself with a Yamaha 115 two stroke outboard. Sadly it doesn’t rev to 10,000 rpm.
How about the Ford Nucleon? This automobile-of-the-future was named for… a pint-size fission reactor in the trunk.
There is a guy running around with a Lotus 7 kit car and a Bell Jet Ranger Turbine in it…
Meno,
Honda provides a device with those cars to make hydrogen. The caveat it is it natural gas powered, so it’s not exactly cheap to produce the hydrogen when all is said and done.
Honda has a racing engine that is cam-less, but we know that the reliability is not there yet for road going cars.
The ICE is probably the most refined machine on the planet. It is a marvel of engineering and soul. And there is a lot of interesting work to improve it still further. See for example http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1964884
True that! The ICE has been in the continues product improvement cycle for the past 100 years.
It is truly a testament to engineering excellence; like the CAT scan machine or the breast implant.
Rock On Gottlieb Daimler!
i wonder if GM has ever considered doing a pushrod 4 based on their 5.7 litre v8. vibration might be acceptable/fixable; power, economy, and flexibility might finally put the Accord and Camry 4’s in their place.
This would be great for piston aircraft. Hope they get it solved before we are banned from the skies.
# eh_political :
March 26th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
i wonder if GM has ever considered doing a pushrod 4 based on their 5.7 litre v8. vibration might be acceptable/fixable; power, economy, and flexibility might finally put the Accord and Camry 4’s in their place.
EP..The Camry and Accord 4s are already IN THEIR PLACE. And GM’s 4s??
Interesting concept, by Ricardo, but definitely not ready yet for production.
The exciting thing is there is a lot of research going on of how improve the ICE. Everything from fully electronic valve timing, to camless engines, to electrically assisted turbos.