From: Max More (max@maxmore.com)
Date: Fri Jul 26 2002 - 07:00:26 MDT
At 01:03 PM 7/26/2002 +0200, you wrote:
>Honestly Mitch, if you look for examples to follow your particular
>mindset, then you will find them. Guaranteed. Why not pay attention
>to the many other examples (of ecology/natural-minded people
>living and building alternative healthy solutions) that work?
>
>Amara
A case in point -- here's my review of a fine new paper on the enormous
improvement in internal combustion engines and further advances set for the
coming decade:
Tomorrow’s Cars, Today’s Engines
McKinsey Quarterly by Lance A. Ealey; Glenn A. Mercer , published on
07/18/02 , rated ***** by our experts.
Don’t let all the talk of fuel cells and other alternative automotive power
sources lead you to write off the good old internal combustion engine (ICE)
anytime soon. In this tremendously informative 10-page article, Lance Ealey
and Glenn Mercer show how much progress ICEs have made since the 1970s in
terms of power, efficiency, and emissions. For example: Horsepower per
liter has more than doubled over the last 20 years; the engine’s share of
the cost of an entry-level car has halved over the last 15 years; emissions
other than carbon dioxide have fallen by 90 percent or more since 1968—a
new car today emits less pollution while running that did a 197s car while
turned off (due to leaks). Improvements are projected to continue at 1.5
percent per year, bucking the typical trend of decreasing returns to
investment in R&D. Over the coming decade advances expected include
continuously variable transmissions, infinitely variable engine-valve
timing, direct fuel injection, cylinder deactivation, and drive-by-wire
technologies. These advances will push structural changes in the industry.
Drive-by-wire, for instance, replaces the hydraulic and mechanical systems
with electrical and electronic systems and could encourage alliances with
electronics suppliers to build whole systems. With no mechanical links
intruding into the body, the authors foresee the feasibility of seasonal
body changes to the auto, creating an opening to specialist bodymakers.
Even if you are not in the auto industry and have no large corporate auto
fleets, this article has much value in showing how technological advances
can both sustain and transform existing industry structures and value chains.
http://proto.epiture.com/index3f.asp?TopicID=T6250211234310&topiccategory=All&relevance=5
=
Max
_______________________________________________________
Max More, Ph.D.
max@maxmore.com or more@extropy.org
http://www.maxmore.com
Strategic Philosopher
President, Extropy Institute. http://www.extropy.org <more@extropy.org>
_______________________________________________________
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