Audi, Hyundai Promise Increased Fuel Economy

As automakers look to meet the 2015 deadline for the increased CAFE standards, two non-American companies have outlined how they intend to achieve those goals and compete in the U.S. market.

Audi will look to take a familiar route, pinning much of their fortunes on the development of lithium-ion batteries and eventually an electric car with zero tailpipe emissions. The company already sells plenty of diesel cars in Europe and plans to introduce more diesels to the U.S. However, it sees the bulk of its research and development being geared toward the plug-in. It hopes to be selling an all-electric car within ten years.

Meanwhile, Hyundai has not committed to building an electric vehicle. Instead, the Korean automaker wants to up its fleet average with small improvements. It thinks it can raise its car average from 32.4 to 37.5 mpg and its truck average from 25.5 to 31 mpg. Some of the changes include increasing the use of lightweight materials, aerodynamic improvements, low-rolling resistance tires, direct-injection engines, and electric power steering systems.

We’ve already seen Chevy add some of these changes and eek out a few more mpg from its economy car, the Cobalt. Maybe this will become a trend.

Hyundai Aiming to Lose Weight, Increase Efficiency by 2015 (Autoblog)
Audi to Offer Electric Cars in 5-10 Years (Reuters)

Comments

[vince]

Mr.Markley Hyundai is Korean not Japanese, but is interesting how Hyundai isnt going to any electric tech, which is smart because those improvements could be implemented through time, while audi drivers have to wait for that electric car.

[Dave T.]

Vince,
Whoops. Two of us missed that. Thanks.

[Mike]

It is about time car companies are waking up and smelling the coffee. How much poking and prodding (as well as economics) did it take for the car companies to get their heads out of their rears and come up with (relatively simple) measures to achieve better economy. Lighten up the vehicles, ad rolling resistant tires. Rework engines and transmissions to be more efficient. If they would have taken steps to do this earlier maybe they wouldn't have had a mandated MPG thrown at them. Also, surprise surprise, one thing not seen here is larger engines. How much frekin power do we need under the hood?! Any one who complains that an engine like GM's 3.8 is not powerful enough needs their head examined (who was knocking the grand prix in their auto review?)! PS Lovin' the new malibu I4 with the 6spd. Thats the way to do it!

[segfault]

I guess "eek" is the vernacular, but the correct term for the usage above is "eke," as in, "perhaps they will eke out a few more MPG."

[Red]

Since only about 15 percent of the energy in a gallon of fuel gets to the wheels to actually move the car, there's plenty of room for improving efficiency. Every little bit helps...