In this post i'll be going through manufacturers techniques and gizmos for getting us from a-b-c-d-e at an economic rate, I'll identify which ones do what they say they will and help you identify the manufacturers which expect you to take the scenic route.
The Start-stop system
In 2001 the US government queried Honda as some of their vehicles were "Lurching" forward after being stationary.
The technology has been since the 1960s but has only had a bigger impact after the general fuel economy of the automobile has been optimized to present a large enough benefit. A start stop system / engine will go into a standby state where the combustion engine is no longer turning or burning fuel. The benefits for places where traffic is predominantly stationary are potentially great, for air quality and the drivers pocket (with an average 10% savings possible. See the video for Mike Duhaime, director at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Source: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Electric car
The benefits of a car which does not need fossil fuels are plain, the resource which fuels it is not necessarily going to run out before we have discovered an alternative. How the electric car is powered, should it have a battery and how the wheels are turned are all questions which are the reason for many new jobs in the automotive industry.
While there was a time in the early 19th century when electric cars were the bigger brother to fossil fuel cars, they were eventually out muscled and laid dormant for just under a century, when the global warming light was flashing, re-emerged as a opportunity for new growth and solutions for anthropogenic problems.
Public transport
Would the person who hired you catch the bus with you if it meant they could save money and get from a-e faster? There are benefits and vices for both sides, one side has the government at its back while the other side had international corporations at its back.
Engines are the most important parts of any form of transport, whether the vehicle gets 1 person or 62 people from a-e is irrelevant in the eyes of a car manufacturer, Toyota and Renault have identified this opportunity and expanded their market base to a much steadier market with a greater profit.
See my article on Ethanol
Ethanol is not only becoming standard, but also the only option in some countries, manufacturers are beginning to see opportunities, over their competitors, which are exposed by this predicament.
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