Sylvie Willis
Fuel injectors have been around for over a century, with the earliest recorded use of fuel injectors dating back to 1902 when French aviator Leon Levavasseur implemented a prototype version of an injection system in his Antoinette 8V airplane. However, fuel injectors only started to become standard in cars in the 1950s, with the first commercially available electronic fuel injection (EFI) system being introduced in 1957 by the American brand AMC and Rambler. In the 1970s, fuel injection began to appear in mainstream cars, and by the early 1990s, it had largely replaced carburetors. Today, all cars are fitted with electronically controlled fuel injection systems, and it is now impossible to buy a new car without fuel injection in Europe and the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First use of fuel injectors | 1902 by French aviator Leon Levavasseur |
| First major use of fuel injection | World War II aircraft |
| First commercially available EFI system | Bendix Electrojector |
| First cars to use an EFI system | 1958 Chrysler 300D, DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge D-500 and Plymouth Fury |
| First fuel-injected production sports car | 1954 300 SL, nicknamed the "Gullwing" |
| First cars to use electronic fuel injection in the US | 1958 Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge and Plymouth cars |
| First use of fuel injection in mainstream cars | 1970s |
| Fuel injection mandatory in all new cars in Europe | 1992 |
| Last car operated with a standard gasoline carburetor engine in the US | 1990 Subaru Justy |
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What You'll Learn
Fuel injection systems were first used in the 1920s
In the 1920s, various manufacturers adopted injection systems for diesel engines, and this gained immense popularity in the 1950s. The Swedish engineer and inventor Jonas Hesselman utilised an early form of direct gasoline injection on the Hesselman engine in 1925. This was a significant development, as gasoline was inserted at the last moment, showcasing the potential for innovation in fuel injection systems.
The 1950s witnessed the first major use of fuel injection in automobiles, with the American Bendix Electrojector system introduced in 1957. This system used analogue electronics for control, and while it faced reliability issues, it laid the groundwork for future advancements. The following year, the Electrojector system was featured in the Chrysler 300D, DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge D-500, and Plymouth Fury, marking the first-ever use of an electronic fuel injection (EFI) system in cars.
The German companies Bosch and Mercedes-Benz played a pivotal role in the early era of fuel injection in cars. The Bosch D-Jetronic, produced from 1967 to 1976, was a speed/density system that calculated the amount of fuel to be injected based on engine speed and intake manifold air density. By the 1970s, fuel injection had become a common feature in mainstream cars, and its prevalence continued to grow.
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The 1950s saw the first use of fuel injection in cars
The concept of fuel injection is not new, with early recorded uses dating back to 1902 by French aviator Leon Levavasseur. It was first utilised in aircraft engines during World War I and World War II, and later in racing applications during the 1940s. In the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz embraced mechanical fuel injection, partnering with Bosch to develop the Bosch direct injection system. This innovation proved successful, powering Stirling Moss to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia endurance race.
In 1954, the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 team equipped their "Silver Arrow" W196 racecar with Bosch direct injection, showcasing the technology's potential. The following year, in 1955, they introduced the 300SLR with a direct-injected 3.0-litre engine, producing an impressive 310 horsepower. This racecar, driven by Stirling Moss, achieved another remarkable win at the Mille Miglia in 1955.
During the same period, other automotive manufacturers were also exploring fuel injection technology. In 1954, Chevrolet introduced fuel injectors for their "Small Block" V8 engine, while the British company Lucas developed their own fuel injection system, which was fitted to Jaguar racecars. By the late 1950s, electronic fuel injection (EFI) systems began to emerge, with the American Bendix Electrojector introduced in 1957, followed by the first production electronic fuel injection automobiles in 1958, including the Chrysler 300D and the Plymouth Fury.
The 1950s marked a pivotal decade for the adoption of fuel injection in automobiles, setting the stage for further advancements and improvements in the following decades. By the 1970s, fuel injection was becoming more common in mainstream cars, and by the 1980s, electronic fuel injectors had spread across Europe and the United States, gradually replacing carburettors as the standard fuel delivery system.
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By the 1970s, fuel injection was appearing in mainstream cars
Fuel injection systems, which introduce fuel into an internal combustion engine, started to appear in the 1950s. By the 1970s, fuel injection was appearing in mainstream cars.
In the early 1950s, fuel injection was introduced in passenger car petrol engines. In 1952, the Goliath GP700 became the first petrol engine to feature fuel injection. In 1954, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, nicknamed the "Gullwing", became the first fuel-injected production sports car. In 1957, the American Bendix Electrojector system was introduced, which used analogue electronics for the control system. In 1958, the Chrysler 300D, DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge D-500, and Plymouth Fury offered the Electrojector system, becoming the first cars known to use an electronic fuel injection (EFI) system.
In the 1970s, Bosch introduced the L-Jetronic system, a pulsed flow system that used an air flow meter to calculate the amount of fuel required. This system was widely adopted on European cars during the 1970s and 1980s. The Bosch Motronic multi-point fuel injection system was the first mass-produced system to use digital electronics.
Since the mid-1990s, it has been impossible to buy a new car without fuel injection in Europe, as all newly introduced engines have been required to be fuel-injected since 1992. Today, all cars are fitted with electronically controlled fuel injection, which uses a wide array of data sent to the control unit from various sensors.
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The 1980s saw the rapid increase of the electronic fuel injector
The use of fuel injectors in automobiles has a long history, with the earliest recorded use of fuel injectors dating back to 1902 when French aviator Leon Levavasseur implemented a prototype version of an injection system in his Antoinette 8V airplane. However, it was during the 1980s that the electronic fuel injector witnessed a rapid increase in popularity, almost becoming a universal standard across Europe and the United States. This decade marked a significant shift away from the standard gasoline carburetor engine towards the more efficient and environmentally friendly fuel injector mechanism.
The 1980s was a pivotal decade for the electronic fuel injector, building on advancements made in the previous decades. In the 1950s, the American Bendix Electrojector system was introduced, marking the first commercially available electronic fuel injection (EFI) system. This system used analogue electronics for control and was intended for the Rambler Rebel mid-size car. Despite initial reliability issues, the Electrojector system went on to be offered in the 1958 Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge, and Plymouth cars, making these cars the first known models to use an EFI system.
The German company Bosch played a significant role in the development of the Electrojector, acquiring the patents and evolving it into the Bosch D-Jetronic, produced from 1967 to 1976. The D-Jetronic was a speed/density system that calculated the amount of fuel to be injected based on engine speed and intake manifold air density. By the 1970s, fuel injection technology had advanced enough to be featured in mainstream cars, with companies like Porsche, VW, Audi, Volvo, and BMW adopting it.
The 1980s, however, marked a turning point for fuel injection technology. The rapid increase in the adoption of electronic fuel injectors during this decade can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, federal governments began mandating stricter exhaust emissions and fuel economy standards, making fuel injection an attractive solution for manufacturers due to its improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. The environmental benefits of fuel injectors were significant, as they offered a more precise and controlled method of delivering fuel to the engine, resulting in reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions.
Additionally, advancements in technology during the 1980s improved the performance and reliability of electronic fuel injectors. The introduction of multi-port injection (MPI) improved fuel distribution and reduced the "wet flow" effect, further enhancing the efficiency of fuel injectors. The simplicity of throttle body injection (TBI) also contributed to its popularity, as it required only a simple computer capable of operating one or two fuel injectors, making it a cost-effective way for automakers to reduce emissions and improve driveability.
By the early 1990s, fuel injectors had largely replaced carburetors in passenger car petrol engines, and since then, every car assembled, produced, and sold in the United States has been powered by a fuel injector mechanism. The rapid increase in the adoption of electronic fuel injectors during the 1980s played a pivotal role in improving fuel efficiency, reducing emissions, and driving innovation in the automotive industry.
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Since the 1990s, all new cars in the US and Europe have fuel injectors
Fuel injectors have been around for over a century, with the earliest recorded use of fuel injectors dating back to 1902. However, their integration into automobiles is a more recent development. During the 20th century, most petrol engines used either a carburettor or indirect fuel injection. The first examples of fuel injection in cars began to appear in the 1950s, and by the 1970s, it was becoming a common feature in mainstream cars.
In the 1980s, the electronic fuel injector rose to prominence, spreading across Europe and various automobile manufacturing businesses. This decade also saw the introduction of multi-point injection (MPI), which improved fuel distribution by injecting fuel into the intake ports just upstream of each cylinder's intake valve. The federal government's stricter emissions and fuel economy standards made MPI the preferred fuel system for all manufacturers.
By the early 1990s, fuel injection had largely replaced carburetors in passenger car petrol engines. Since the mid-1990s, it has been mandatory for all newly introduced engines in Europe to be fuel-injected. This shift towards fuel injection also occurred in the United States during the same period, with the 1991 Subaru Justy being the first model to feature a fuel injector.
Today, all cars are fitted with electronically controlled fuel injection systems, which use data from various sensors to optimise engine performance and fuel efficiency. These systems can be categorised into indirect fuel injection systems, commonly found in smaller engines, and direct injection systems, which are used in all TSI engines. Direct injection systems inject fuel directly into the main combustion chamber of each cylinder, improving fuel atomisation and increasing power and fuel economy.
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Frequently asked questions
The last car in the US to be sold with a standard gasoline carburetor engine was the 1990 Subaru Justy. Its 1991 iteration was manufactured and sold with a new fuel injector.
Since the 1980s, fuel injectors have been increasingly common in Europe, and since the mid-1990s, it has been impossible to buy a new car without fuel injection in Europe.
Fuel injectors first started appearing in the 1950s, with the 1954 300 SL, nicknamed the "Gullwing", being the first fuel-injected production sports car in the world.
By the 1970s, fuel injection was appearing in mainstream cars.
