Katerina Swanson
The design of fuel-efficient vehicles has been a focus of private strategies and public policies since the oil crisis in the 1970s. Designers of fuel-saving cars study vehicle, transportation, or automotive design at universities around the world, including the Art Center in Pasadena, College for Creative Studies in Detroit, UMEA in Sweden, and Strate in Paris. These courses cover basic subjects such as sketching, rendering, proportions, packaging, clay and digital modeling, form finding, creation of personas, and vehicle layouts. To improve fuel efficiency, designers study and implement small changes to tires, low-friction lubricants, and minor aerodynamic changes to car designs. They also explore new technology, cleaner sources of fuel, and inventive designs, such as LED lights, which use less power than traditional headlights, and hybrid vehicles, which combine battery power and traditional gasoline engines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Incentives for drivers to buy eco-friendly vehicles | Help the environment, reduce fuel costs, cash in on tax benefits |
| Fuel-efficient car characteristics | Smaller, compact, economic |
| Car model example | Hatchback |
| Exterior modifications | Reflective paint and glass, LED lights |
| LED lights usage | Less power than traditional headlights, less fuel use overall |
| Surge in sales of | All-electric and hybrid vehicles |
| Example of hybrid cars | Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, BMW |
| Fuel-saving methods | Small changes to tires, low-friction lubricants, minor aerodynamic changes to car designs |
| Most effective way to improve fuel economy | Through battery power |
| Example of battery power | Start-stop system in hybrids |
| Stricter fuel efficiency standards | Worldwide adoption of new technology, cleaner sources of fuel, and inventive designs |
| Fuel-efficient vehicle design focus | Private strategies and public policies |
| Example of public policy | Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards enforced by the US government |
| Result of stricter standards and policies | Auto manufacturers are incentivized to explore new technologies and designs |
| Designer focus | Hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion |
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What You'll Learn
Fuel-saving technology and design
Fuel efficiency has become an increasingly important focus for car designers and manufacturers. This is due to a combination of economic and environmental factors, as well as stricter government regulations. As a result, designers and engineers are exploring new technologies, cleaner sources of fuel, and innovative designs to improve fuel efficiency.
One of the most effective ways to improve fuel economy is through battery power. The start-stop system available in many hybrids allows the car to remain powered while the engine has stopped, improving fuel efficiency. Additionally, small changes to tires, low-friction lubricants, and minor aerodynamic adjustments can also contribute to incremental improvements. Exterior modifications, such as LED lights, can also make a difference. LED lights use less power than traditional headlights, leading to reduced fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.
Designers and engineers are also exploring more sustainable sources of fuel. Hydrogen fuel cells, for example, have been a concept in the automotive industry for over 50 years. Designer Brooks Stevens envisioned the potential for hydrogen fuel cells to provide a more compact powertrain, allowing for greater flexibility in vehicle design and improved fuel efficiency. While there are still relatively few fuel-cell cars on the road today compared to plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles, the 2016 Toyota Mirai marked a significant step forward as the world's first production fuel-cell car.
To create fuel-saving cars, designers and engineers undergo specialist education in vehicle, transportation, or automotive design. They learn a range of skills, including sketching, rendering, proportions, packaging, clay and digital modelling, form finding, and vehicle layouts. At the master's level, a dissertation and more academic research-based projects are typically required.
As the world continues to face environmental and economic challenges, the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles will likely only increase. Designers and manufacturers will need to stay agile and innovative to meet the changing needs and expectations of consumers and regulators.
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Cleaner fuel sources
Motor vehicles are one of the largest sources of air pollution, with emissions from gasoline and diesel engines contributing to global warming and climate change. As such, there is an increasing demand for eco-friendly vehicles that reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions.
In response to this, car designers and manufacturers have been exploring cleaner fuel sources and innovative designs to improve fuel efficiency. One of the most effective ways to improve fuel economy is through battery power, with the start-stop system in hybrids allowing the car to remain powered while the engine is off. This system is currently only installed in 2% of North American cars, but its cumulative effect on the industry could be significant. Hybrid vehicles, which combine electric and gasoline engines, have seen a surge in sales due to their eco-consciousness and tax incentives. Many automakers, such as BMW, are investing in hybrid lines, and all-electric vehicles are also gaining popularity.
To further enhance fuel efficiency, designers are making exterior modifications, such as LED lights, which use less power and reduce CO2 emissions. Additionally, small changes to tires, lubricants, and aerodynamic designs can also contribute to incremental improvements.
Fuel additives and cleaners are another way to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. These products can help improve gas mileage and engine performance, leading to cost savings for drivers.
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Hybrid vehicles
To further enhance fuel efficiency, hybrid vehicles incorporate various design elements. One key feature is aerodynamic design, which helps hybrids cut through the air more smoothly, reducing wind resistance and improving fuel economy. Additionally, hybrids typically have smaller and lighter engines, with automakers using lightweight materials such as magnesium and aluminum to further reduce weight. This reduced weight means less fuel is required to move the vehicle.
Another design feature unique to hybrids is the continuously variable transmission (CVT). CVT operates on a pulley system rather than toothed gears, allowing the engine to maintain optimal revolutions per minute without the need to speed up or slow down during gear shifts. This results in improved fuel efficiency as less gas is burned. Furthermore, hybrids often use narrower tires with less rolling resistance, and these tires are sometimes inflated to a higher pressure, further reducing fuel consumption.
One of the most notable features of hybrid vehicles is the start-stop system, which allows the gasoline engine to turn off when the vehicle is not moving, preventing fuel from being wasted during idling. This system, combined with regenerative braking, where the friction of braking is captured and converted into energy, contributes significantly to the fuel efficiency of hybrids.
The benefits of hybrid vehicles have not gone unnoticed, with sales of these vehicles increasing due to growing environmental concerns and tax incentives. Automakers are responding to this demand, with companies like BMW announcing plans to introduce hybrid versions of their existing models. As fuel efficiency standards become stricter worldwide, hybrid vehicles are likely to become even more popular, providing drivers with fuel-efficient and cost-effective transportation options.
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Aerodynamic car designs
The primary goal of new car designs in the next few years will be fuel efficiency and aerodynamics. Designers are driven by the need to smooth airflow over the body surface. This is achieved by reducing the coefficient of drag, or "Cd", which measures how easily a vehicle moves through the air. The lower the Cd, the better the fuel economy.
Automakers focus on aerodynamics for financial reasons, too. "If you're trying to reduce weight by adding expensive exotic materials, that's not easy to do. And improving engine efficiency, that's not easy to do. So the leading strategy is to improve aerodynamics whenever possible", says Rick Aneiros, Chrysler Group's vice president of Jeep and truck design.
Aerodynamic efficiency is especially important at higher speeds, as the amount of power needed to propel a car at high speed rises with the cube of the speed. This means that the faster a car is moving, the more important it is to keep air resistance, or drag, to a minimum.
Designing for aerodynamics largely consists of trial and error in the wind tunnel, tweaking the position of elements such as side mirrors or the height of a rear deck lid to reduce drag. Some automakers have recently unveiled concept cars that are dramatically more aerodynamic than today's production vehicles. For example, Volvo's 3CC has a Cd that is 30% better than the S40, and Mercedes' bionic car has a Cd of 0.19.
To improve the aerodynamics of a car, designers can make changes such as:
- Choosing smoother wheels, such as flush discs.
- Adding a rear spoiler.
- Reducing the height of the vehicle, as an inch of increased ride height degrades the Cd by about 0.01.
- Choosing more "open" wheel designs, although this can be offset by the need for better brake cooling.
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Fuel-efficient tyres
One of the key considerations for fuel-efficient tyres is maintaining the correct tyre pressure. Properly inflated tyres are critical for optimising fuel efficiency. Tyre pressure should be kept at around 40-44 psi to achieve better fuel savings. However, it is important to note that overinflating tyres can lead to reduced ride quality and safety. Overinflation decreases the contact surface between the tyre and the road, resulting in reduced traction, impaired braking, and poorer handling, especially in wet conditions. Therefore, it is advisable to use LRR tyres with the appropriate tyre pressure rather than resorting to overinflation as a means to improve fuel efficiency.
When selecting fuel-efficient tyres, it is important to consider the tyre rating. A tyre fuel efficiency rating system, ranging from class A to G, is used to rank tyres based on their impact on fuel economy. Class A tyres are the most efficient and offer the greatest fuel savings. Bridgestone's Ecopia EP422 and Ecopia EP422 PLUS are examples of fuel-efficient tyres that maximise fuel efficiency while providing good water resistance and traction in slippery conditions.
It is worth noting that LRR tyres may offer slightly less grip, which can affect cornering performance. However, for everyday drivers who make turns at normal and safe speeds, this reduced grip is not a significant concern. Additionally, LRR tyres designed for electric vehicles (EV) tend to have very low rolling resistance, but they are typically more expensive due to their capacity to carry heavy weights. Despite their higher cost, EV tyres may be a worthwhile investment as they tend to last longer, especially when used on non-EV vehicles due to the lower weight and torque of these cars.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need to take an undergraduate or master's degree at one of the various colleges and universities that offer courses in vehicle, transportation, or automotive design. In the US, some of the main schools are Art Center in Pasadena and the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.
The basic subjects covered are sketching and rendering, proportions, packaging, clay and digital modeling, form finding, creation of personas, and vehicle layouts. There will also likely be academic, research-based projects, and at the master's level, you will need to write a dissertation.
There are many ways to make a car more fuel-efficient, including small changes to tires, low-friction lubricants, and minor aerodynamic changes to car designs. One of the most effective ways to improve fuel economy is through battery power, as seen in hybrid cars.
