MPG: 1925 vs 2005

John Sep 27th, 2005 Link

For starters, the Model T only had 20 horsepower. Adjusted for inflation, the average engine isn’t that far off the mark. The problem is the design. Look at this: http://www.regtech.com/93.html

Gabe Sep 27th, 2005 Link

That doesn’t address the issue I raised. Most engine manufacturers outside the US are able to squeeze much more out of much less. The biggest reasons that we’re behind where we were 100 years ago are down to government regulations that reward a stagnet (and archaic) US auto industry and a lack of economic reasoning to do anything about it. All you have to do is look to Europe or Japan where cars get over 60mpg combined with ultra efficeint deisel engines.

John Sep 29th, 2005 Link

Yeah, I did see an ad the other day in a British car magazine. There were ads for car manufacturers that I’d never heard of beefore getting like 60-65 mpg. I don’t think those cars meet US EPA standrds, though. It is true, the oil cartel (and the oil market is anything BUT a free market) keeps a stranglehold on new technologies. Ultimately, though, it is the fault of the “collective” American comsumer that insists on buying vehicles that get horrible gas milage. We use more than any other country in the world.

Steve Sep 29th, 2005 Link

50 or 60 mpg would not be a problem with a 1200 pound car and a .75 liter engine putting out 50-60 horsepower..

Are people ready to give up crash standards, modern top speeds and acceleration, sound insulation, emmissions control hardware, power windows/door locks/steering for a small comuter car for weekdays?

Keep the bigger car for trips and hauling the family on the weekends..

A car 3/4 the size of a MINI makes perfect sense for my 30 mile a day commute.. One of the problems is parity. More people have to be in smaller cars before people will be comfortable driving small cars (the I need a big car so I can win in a crash syndrome).

Brea Oct 17th, 2005 Link

That is an unrealistic comparison, the amount of power (hp, torque, towing, and gearing) has changed so much in the last few years, that everything has gone down, look at the original Chevy vehicles, they havent gone up either. Just because we have advanced in our technology, doesnt mean we can work wonders. We (americans) are so infatuated with power and speed, that those are the vehicles selling, a logger now-a-days, is doing alot more with his truck that before people were doing with horses and plows. You cant just look at one fact, and say Ford is crazy, you have to look at all facts and all contributers to those facts. No one today, would drive around a 20 hp vehicle, hell the hybrid cars have better hp, because power is needed now in every day life.

Gabe Oct 17th, 2005 Link

Actually I think this comparison is valid due to all the points you mentioned. And of course this isn’t just a problem at Ford. It’s a problem with all US automakers and the US automotive (or should I say Truck) culture.

Tom Mar 11th, 2006 Link

Be careful when comparing europian models MPG numbers. I think they use a different measurment so they are not directly comparable to US MPG numbers.

Bob Mar 30th, 2008 Link

“I think this comparison is valid”

You’re trying to analyze European and U.S. MPG by comparing sub-compacts to 6 Liter V8 Trucks?

Talk about fallacious.

“It’s a problem with all US automakers and the US automotive (or should I say Truck) culture.”

Truck culture? Not quite: the US has long, open, straight roads — larger engines with sustaining power are needed. In Europe, on the other hand, smaller cars, engines, etc. are the norm because they’re necessary.

All U.S. automakers? Ignorance doesn’t suit you well: Europe is home to some of the most gas wasting engine and car manufacturers in the word. Remember the 16 Cylinder Bugatti, the 8 MPG Lamborghini, the gas guzzling Land Rover and all the rest?

“All you have to do is look to Europe or Japan where cars get over 60mpg combined with ultra efficeint deisel engines”

More fallacies: those cars also run with 1.5 liter displacements and 100 horsepower output.

“Most engine manufacturers outside the US are able to squeeze much more out of much less”

Yes, much more gas mileage out of much lighter cars with much less horsepower.

Who could’ve imagined.

“Now explain to me why we shouldn’t expect more effiency out of our cars and trucks in the US 80 years later. And I don’t buy the argument of added vehicle weight - that should have been overcome by technology by now.”

Don’t be so quick to lambaste the US: the new Corvette gets 25 miles per gallon from a 6 liter V8.

Not to mention, you do realize how little gas cars do actually use, right?

Let’s say you have a 3 liter engine getting 30 miles per gallon at 60 miles per hour.

That’s a gallon of gas every thirty minutes. Meaning, 1/30th of a gallon of gas every minute. Now if you’re going 60 mph, and turning 3,000 rpms, you’re getting about 3,000 cylinder explosions a minute. Divide 1/30th of a gallon by 3,000 explosions, and there’s how much gas is entering each cylinder when it fires.

The amount it uses is unbelievably small.

I hope you see why trying to cut it in half isn’t so easy.