The Moving Baseline of Conventional Engine-Powered Passenger Cars (1975-1985)

The moving baseline of conventional engines and passenger cars utilizing such engines in the period 1975-1985 is developed from a review of recent trends in vehicle design and conventional engine and transmission development. The moving baseline is given in terms of engine specific weight and volume and vehicle fuel economy and energy intensity on both the EPA urban and highway cycles. Recent advances in conventional engine and vehicle design have lead to significant improvements in all the baseline areas. These improvements are discussed quantitatively in the paper.