1. Take a side in agreeing or disagreeing with the following statement: “The push to improve fuel efficiency is likely to cause engineers to pursue increasingly risky and untried technologies, ultimately to the detriment of the consumer.”

2. How does a car company manage to follow efficiency guidelines and maintain an image of quality? That is, are these competing goals and, if so, how does the company balance them?

The future poses a serious challenge for automotive designers as they try to comply with federal fuel efficiency guidelines. After rising just 10 miles per gallon (mpg) in the past 30 years, U.S. fuel economy regulations are in the midst of a serious upward adjustment. By 2025, the average new vehicle is required to get 54.5 mpg—double the 2012 requirement of 27.3 mpg. In practical terms, that means that fuel economy is expected to increase by more than 2 mpg a year for the next decade. This dramatic increase makes it necessary for all automotive companies to improve fuel efficiency in their current fleet of cars, while looking for ways to get better mileage out of the new cars they design. Some choices the companies are making have been very creative:

• Honda’s 2012 Civic (Honda Motor Co., Tokyo, Japan) uses specially coated engine pistons that reduce friction. This modification improved fuel efficiency by 2%.
• The 2012 Toyota Camry (Toyota Motor Corporation) weighs 150 pounds less than the previous year’s model. The lower weight improved mileage.
• Chrysler (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) is using a more efficient eightspeed automatic transmission in its 300 sedan model. This improved its highway mileage by 3 mpg.

General Motors is benefiting from a three-year project to find innovative ways to redesign its Chevrolet Malibu to enhance its fuel efficiency. The challenge was significant because GM did not want to redesign the Malibu completely. Among the ways that GM achieved fuel savings was by using lighter materials. For example, aluminum has replaced steel in the vehicle’s hood and rear bumper beam. A new six-speed automatic transmission was installed in place of the car’s five-speed shifter. GM also installed a smaller, fuel-injected engine that is more efficient but makes the car feel as if it has more power. To decrease its weight, the Malibu no longer has a spare tire.

The tire has been replaced by a much lighter re-inflation kit (an air compressor and liquid sealant). Other changes are barely noticeable; for example, the front and rear and underbody have been redesigned to be more aerodynamic and improve fuel efficiency. The result of all these changes is that the Malibu will get at least seven more miles per gallon, and a tank of gas will take the vehicle an additional 92 miles.

One way or another, car manufacturers will find ways to wring additional mileage out of their automobiles. With the use of hybrid and electric power options, it is only a matter of time before all cars driven in the United States will be pushing the 50-mpg envelope.