Global Viewpoints North America Internal-combustion engineering

Despite a century of refinement, the gasoline engine still has untapped potential, say industry executives.

Fuel cells, hybrids, and diesels have all gained significant, and deserved, attention for their potential to help boost vehicles' efficiency and reduce their environmental impact. But the high cost of these solutions makes previously unfeasible upgrades to the spark-ignition internal-combustion (IC) engine increasingly attractive as alternatives.

The expected progress makes the IC engine a moving target for emerging technologies to beat. “When you measure the potential of other technologies, it should not be against the internal-combustion engine of today, but against the internal-combustion engine of 10 years from now,” observed Fritz Indra, Executive Director of Powertrain Advanced Engineering at General Motors Corp.