USA Today on technology to improve auto fuel efficiency
“Perhaps the most obvious place to look for efficiency gains is under the hood. That's why Honda, Chrysler, and GM offer engines that shut off cylinders when not in use. At highway speeds, a V8 can turn into a four-cylinder to conserve fuel, but on the on-ramp the whole engine will come to life.
Going a step further, a number of automakers offer engines that shut off entirely when the car isn't moving. Known as Auto Start-Stop, the technology keeps engines from wasting fuel while idling at stoplights. Ford estimates that its Auto Start-Stop feature can boost fuel economy by four to 10%.
There's even efficiency to be gained when slowing for those stoplights. The latest Mazda 6 offers an optional regenerative braking system called i-ELOOP (in graph). It recovers energy from braking that otherwise would've been wasted as heat, and stores it to power other vehicle functions.”
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