Multifuel hybrid engine achieves 80 mpg

MIT Technology Review : Christopher Onder of ETH Zürich and his colleagues have adapted a diesel engine to run primarily on natural gas. Diesel engines are already highly efficient, and burning natural gas further reduces emissions. Combined with a battery and an electric motor, the new engine could produce the equivalent of 80 miles per gallon. For comparison, the hybrid Toyota Prius currently gets 50 mpg. An 80-mpg hybrid could be of value to car companies in the European Union and the US, which are trying to meet a fleet average of 55 mpg by 2020 and 2025, respectively. Such cars would help offset the lower efficiencies of SUVs and other large vehicles. Opinions are mixed concerning the viability of the new hybrid, however. Onder says that the new engine would be less expensive than several other hybrid engines currently available. However, customers may balk at buying a vehicle that requires two different fuels.