Ignition Australia Ignition June 2017 AUS JOOMAG | Page 14

20 more years
of petrol
engines
There has been and continues to be an enormous
media and politically driven emphasis on electric
mobility. This probably reached its zenith about
six years ago, with claims such as there being no
petrol powered cars on the road within ten years,
that electric mobility was going to render our road
cars obsolete, wasteful and the like.
Automotive engineers all over the world are now
making it clear that no matter what promises are
made by the developers of electric or hydrogen
fuel cell powered cars, the internal combustion
engine, (these are engines run by petrol, diesel
or natural gas) won’t be moved from their
position of dominance anytime soon. In fact, we
are talking decades until this may be the case.
It is a credit to the automotive engineers who have
managed to refine internal combustion engines to
the point that motorists are enjoying outstanding
power and previously unheard of fuel economy.
Tiny engines that develop incredible power and
are easier to maintain, along with petrol engines
that consume the same or less fuel than their diesel
counterparts, are just two examples of how far the
development curve has grown.
According to one of the world’s “big three” car
manufacturers,
“Unless
there
is
a
significant
breakthrough in electrified vehicle cost and range, internal
combustion engines will dominate for the next 20 years,”
stated Chris Cowland, Chrysler’s director of advanced and
SRT powertrain.
Hybrids are becoming more common on our roads, but remain
a significantly more expensive option.
It is interesting to note that while the development in electric
mobility has been all the buzz at motor shows around the world,
14 CAPRICORN IGNITION JUNE 2017