The U.S. government’s new CAFE fuel economy standards have automakers shooting for the stars, but there’s more to improving milage than creating more efficient engines, says Hyundai ’s Timothy White. That might come as no surprise to the technology-minded, but aside from engines what can we expect to see in our cars by 2015 or 2020?
The Hyundai executive says only about 50 percent of increased mileage will come from changes to powertrains. The other half will come from modified vehicle structures and equipment. There’s really no “home run,” that will solve it all, White told Automotive News.
LED lighting will be one important technology. Already, automakers have started using the low-watt but very bright light-emitting diodes for taillights, but the real efficiency gains will come from LED headlights, which only a handful of automakers currently offer.
Electric power steering — which eliminates the need for complex power-assisted hydraulics — adds about 1 mpg to overall figures, according to the report. Also expect automakers to continue increasing the number of gears in transmissions — even at budget-minded Hyundai, six-speed automatics will be the norm.
Hyundai says it’s also revisiting some of the most basic engineering principles — better aerodynamics, reduced overall weight, tires with less rolling resistance.
Interestingly, all of these changes won’t just improve fuel economy — things like lower weight, LED headlights, and more aerodynamic designs should improve handling, safety, and styling, too.
