The Basics of Cars

 

The Engine

The engine burns a mixture of fuel, like gasoline or diesel, and air in a controlled way to create energy. This energy is then used to move parts of the engine, which ultimately powers the car's wheels. Most car engines operate using a four-stroke cycle.  It starts with the intake valve opening, and a piston moving down. This creates a vacuum, which pulls in a mixture of air and fuel into the combustion chamber. The intake valve closes, and the piston moves up. This compresses the air-fuel mixture, making it more explosive. A spark plug ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture and the explosion forces the piston down, creating mechanical energy. The exhaust valve opens, and the piston moves up again. This pushes out the burned or exhaust gases through the exhaust system. The number of pistons determines a car's torque, though it also depends on the kind of car. The Crankshaft converts the pistons' up-and-down motion into rotational motion to power the wheels. The more cylinders, the greater the potential for power, torque, and smoothness. However, this comes at a cost such as price, fuel consumption, and weight.

Timeline

The history of cars goes back to the 18th century, with several key milestones marking the evolution of the automobile:

1886: Karl Benz, a German inventor, created the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, widely regarded as the first true automobile powered by an internal combustion engine.

1908: Henry Ford introduced the Model T and assembly line manufacturing, making cars accessible to the common man and a huge leap in industrial manufacturing.

1940s–1950s: Following World War II, automobiles became symbolic of prosperity. The Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang, which entered the scene in the 1960s, gained cultural icon status.

1970s: The oil crisis brought a need for more fuel-efficient cars. Up until that time, Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda had gained considerable ground in most world markets.

2000s: Hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, and electric vehicles, like Tesla's Model S, began to change the face of the automotive world as the focus started to shift toward sustainability and reduction of carbon emissions.

2020s: The industry started focusing on autonomous vehicles, electric cars, and smart features. Major automakers such as Tesla, General Motors, and Volkswagen began investing heavily in EV production.

Hydrogen Cars

Hydrogen cars have been gaining and the first production model that came into the market was made by Honda FCX running on hydrogen. Hydrogen cars are a type of fuel cell vehicle (FCV) that generates electricity using hydrogen gas, which then powers an electric motor. Hydrogen cars use a hydrogen fuel cell to combine hydrogen with oxygen from the air to produce electricity, with water vapor as the only byproduct. The Honda FCX was one of the earliest hydrogen-powered cars to be produced for limited public use, showcasing the potential of hydrogen as a clean alternative to traditional fossil fuels. However, it wasn’t mass-produced and was primarily offered for lease to select customers. The downside of them though, is that the average cost per mile is $0.23 in a Mirai, but in a gas car, it would be about $0.12. Because of the huge tanks in the car, the first one takes up a third of the front seat space, the 2nd in the back seats permitting leg room, and the last one in the trunk decreases space. Hydrogen cars are a lot cleaner than gas or electric cars though.