Automotive engine

As of 2013, there were a wide variety of propulsion systems available

or potentially available for automobiles and other vehicles. Options
included internal combustion engines fueled by petrol, diesel,
propane, or natural gas; hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, fuel cell
vehicles fueled by hydrogen and all electric cars. Fueled vehicles
seem to have the advantage due to the limited range and high cost of
batteries. Some options required construction of a network of fueling
or charging stations.[1] With no compelling advantage for any
particular option car makers pursued parallel development tracks Internal combustion engines, like the
using a variety of options. Reducing the weight of vehicles was one 1.6 litre (98 cubic inch) petrol engine
strategy being employed. from 2009 seen here, have been the
dominant propulsion system for most
of the history of automobiles

Contents
Recent developments
Characteristics
History
Engine types
Internal combustion engines
Steam engines
Electric motors
References

Recent developments
The use of high-technology (such as electronic engine control units) in advanced designs resulting from
substantial investments in development research by European countries and Japan seemed to give an
advantage to them over Chinese automakers and parts suppliers who, as of 2013, had low development
budgets and lacked capacity to produce parts for high-tech engine and power train designs.[2]

Characteristics
The chief characteristic of an automotive engine (compared to a stationary engine or a marine engine) is a high
power-to-weight ratio. This is achieved by using a high rotational speed. However, automotive engines are
sometimes modified for marine use, forming a marine automobile engine.

History
In the early years, steam engines and electric motors were tried, but with limited success. In the 20th century,
the internal combustion (ic) engine became dominant. In 2015, the internal combustion engine remains the
most widely used but a resurgence of electricity seems likely because of increasing concern about ic engine
exhaust gas emissions.

As of 2017, the majority of the cars in the United States are gasoline powered. In the early 1900s, the internal
combustion engines faced competition from steam and electric engines. The internal combustion engines of the
time was powered by gasoline. Internal combustion engines function with the concept of a piston being
pushed by the pressure of a certain explosion.[3] This explosion is burning the hydrocarbon within the cylinder
head an engine. Out of all the cars manufactured during the time, only around one fourth are actually
considered internal combustion. Within the next couple of years, the internal combustion engine came out to
become the most popular automotive engine.[4] Sometime within the 19th century, Rudolf Diesel invented a
new form of internal combustion power, using a concept of injecting liquid fuel into air heated solely by
compression.[3] This is the predecessor to the modern diesel engine used in automobiles, but more specifically,
heavy duty vehicles such as semi-trucks.

Engine types

Internal combustion engines

Petrol engines quickly became the choice of manufacturers and consumers alike. Despite the rough start, noisy
and dirty engine, and the difficult gear shifting, new technologies such as the production line and the
advancement of the engine allowed the standard production of the gas automobiles. This is the start, from the
invention of the gas automobile in 1876, to the beginning of mass production in the 1890s. Henry Ford's
Model T drove down the price of cars to a more affordable price. At the same time, Charles Kettering invented
an electric starter, allowing the car to be more efficient than the mechanical starter.[5] The abundance of fuel
propelled gas automobiles to be the highly capable and affordable. The demand of gasoline rose from 3 billion
barrels in 1919 to around 15 billion in 1929.[6]

An internal combustion engine is a motor that is powered by the expansion of gas which is created by the
combustion of hydrocarbon gases fuels.[7] To elaborate, an internal combustion used the heat of a combustion
created by the injected hydrocarbon fuel to create mechanical motion. At the time of the early 1900s, wood
alcohol was a popular fuel for French and German automobiles, but as governments imposed large taxes on
the production, the price of wood alcohol rose above that of gasoline.[7] Gasoline engines became popular as a
result of this, as internal combustion engines were commonly known as gasoline engines. Although gasoline
engines became popular, they were not particularly desirable due to the dangers of fuel leaks that may cause
explosions. Therefore, many inventors attempted to create a kerosene burning engine as a result. This was not
a successful venture applying it for automotive usage. There are many different types of fuels for internal
combustion engines. These include diesel, gasoline, and ethanol.

Steam engines

The steam engine was invented in the late 1700s, and the primary method of powering engines and soon,
locomotives. One of the most popular steam automobile was the “Stanley Steamer,” offering low pollution,
power, and speed. The downside of these steam automobiles is the unreliability, complexity, and the frequent
accidents that occurred with them. The startup time for a steam car may take up to 45 minutes, defeating the
purpose of faster transportation. By the time the steam automobile was improved, the complexity of
manufacturing relative to the gas automobiles made steam automobiles unprofitable.[5]

A steam engine is a device which transforms heat into mechanical motion. This is provided with the usage of
boilers, which create steam by boiling water. In the early 1900s, Abner Doble introduced a steam-powered car
in the United States which had capabilities that could potentially overpower Ford's Model T in efficiency.[8]
Steam has been known to have very efficient fuel economy with a high power source. That is why half the
world was powered by steam for almost the entirety of the 19th century and almost half the 20th century. The
main drawback of the steam engine in automobiles was the fact that operators were required to have full
knowledge of boilers and steam engines before operating, as it was detrimental to the engine itself if the
operator neglected it.[7]

Electric motors

Electric vehicles seemed to be the most viable option, similar to the steam automobiles. It was first invented in
the early 1800s, and became a viable option of transportation around 1890, when William Morrison created the
first electric car that traveled 14 miles per hour. The electric cars offered low pollution and a soundless ride,
unlike their gasoline counterparts. The greatest downside of electric cars was the range. The typical electric car
could reach around 20 miles before requiring a recharge. Manufacturers could not increase the number of
batteries, due to the bulkiness of the batteries at the time. Without an incentive to purchase the electric
automobiles, gas automobiles was the most viable option at the time.[5]

Electric cars use batteries to store electricity which is used to power electric motors. The battery delivers the
power to the motor, which is either AC or DC. The difference between AC and DC motors is the sort of
system that is required to run it in an electric vehicle. An AC motor is generally cheaper but the components
required to run it in an electric vehicle such as the controller and inverter makes it more expensive than the DC
motor. A unique feature of electric vehicles compared to its gasoline counterparts, the electric vehicle is more
simple than the gasoline vehicle.[9] The electric vehicle bypasses the gasoline car components such as the
crankshaft which allows it to generate power much faster than gasoline. Because of the faster transfer of
power, the electric vehicle is able to accelerate faster than gasoline cars.[10]

In the 1970s, the electric vehicle made its reappearance because of the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo. Previously,
the abundant gasoline had become the prime source of fuel for vehicles. But after the shortage, manufacturers
began looking towards electric vehicles again. Despite the improved technology from the 1800s, the electric
vehicles faced similar technological flaws such as limited mileage and speed. They could only travel up to 45
miles per hour and had a range of approximately 40 miles.[11]

References
1. Cardwell, Diane; Krauss, Clifford (April 22, 2013). "Trucking Industry Is Set to Expand Its Use of
Natural Gas" (https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/business/energy-environment/natural-gas-u
se-in-long-haul-trucks-expected-to-rise.html). The New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
2. "Propulsion systems The great powertrain race Carmakers are hedging their bets on powering
cars" (https://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21576219-carmakers-are-hedging-their-
bets-powering-cars-great-powertrain-race). The Economist (print ed.). April 20, 2013. Retrieved
April 19, 2013.
3. Cummins Jr., Lyle C. (1976) Early IC and Automotive Engines. SAE Technical Papers.
Wilsonville: Carnot Press, 760604, 1976.
4. L. Collier, James. (2006) Steam Engines. 1st ed. Tarrytown: Cavendish Square Publishing,
2006.
5. The History of the Electric Car. (2014). Energy.gov. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from
https://energy.gov/articles/history-electric-car
6. Melosi, M. (2004). Automobile and the Environment in American History: Energy Use and the
Internal Combustion Engine. Autolife.umd.umich.edu. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from
http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Environment/E_Overview/E_Overview3.htm
 7. Chambers, A. (1902). Lee's American Automobile Handbook (1st ed.). Chicago: Laird & Lee.
Retrieved from
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alfred_B_Chambers_Lee_s_American_Automobile_
id=_lYF6H7Q0GYC.
8. Geoghegan, J. (2017). Full Steam Ahead. American History, (1), 26-31.
9. Schwitters, C. (2017). AC versus DC charging - what is the difference - Plug In America. Plug In
America. Retrieved 11 April 2017, from https://pluginamerica.org/ac-versus-dc-charging-what-
difference/
10. How Do Battery Electric Cars Work?. (2017). Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved 11 April
2017, from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/how-do-battery-electric-cars-
work#.WOqfj_ krK70
11. Alternative Fuels Data Center: How Do All-Electric Cars Work?. (2017). Afdc.energy.gov.
Retrieved 9 April 2017, from http://www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work

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