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Chart: Automakers’ Adoption of Fuel-Saving Technologies

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Adoption of fuel-saving technologies

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Automakers’ Adoption of Fuel-Saving Technologies

Over the past few decades, automakers have invested plenty of time and money into various fuel-saving technologies. This includes innovations such as direct injection, cylinder deactivation, and auto start-stop features.

Keeping track of which companies have adopted these technologies can be difficult. Thankfully, the EPA’s 2022 Automotive Trends Report includes data that shows which automakers have adopted what technologies.

Understanding the Data

The percentages in this infographic show how 14 major automakers have adopted various fuel-saving technologies into their lineups. The report did not specify if this data is for North American models only.

BrandTurboDirect InjectionCylinder Deact.CVT7+ GearsStart-StopHybridPHEV/EV/FC
Subaru22%99%0%95%0%80%0%0%
Nissan5%72%0%87%12%0%0%1%
Honda53%79%25%61%38%24%7%0%
Mazda27%100%45%0%0%0%0%0%
Toyota3%0%0%36%38%19%22%2%
Kia26%47%0%42%45%50%2%0%
Hyundai18%44%0%23%46%21%4%2%
BMW99%99%0%0%98%64%25%7%
Volkswagen77%94%3%0%90%71%20%7%
Mercedes-Benz94%100%8%0%100%77%22%0%
Tesla0%0%0%0%0%0%0%100%
Ford80%56%21%2%92%83%5%3%
GM37%91%54%9%74%75%0%1%
Stellantis13%10%22%1%96%45%15%3%

There are several geographical trends hidden within this dataset. To make them more obvious, we color-coded the 14 automakers by their nationality.

Asian Automakers

Starting from the top of the graphic, we can see that Japanese automakers are big proponents of gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, as well as continuously variable transmissions (CVT).

With a GDI engine, fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber at high pressure. This is more precise than the traditional method known as port injection, which results in greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

CVT transmissions use pulleys instead of gears to improve fuel efficiency. CVTs are best paired with smaller, lower output engines, which may explain why Japanese automakers (who have a history of building smaller cars) have adopted them so widely.

Note that Toyota is listed as having 0% adoption of direct injection, but this isn’t exactly true. The automaker uses its D4-S system, which is a combination of both port and direct fuel injection.

South Korean automakers, on the other hand, have a more balanced technology profile, adopting a wider number of technologies, but each to a lesser degree.

German Automakers

German automakers are well-known for their expertise in building combustion engines, so it’s no surprise they use turbocharging and direct injection in nearly every model.

They’ve also heavily adopted high gear-count transmissions (7 or more gears), which can not only enable better fuel efficiency, but also faster acceleration. The downside to these transmissions is that they can be very heavy and complex.

Furthermore, German automakers utilize the auto start-stop feature in many of their vehicles, and are tied with Toyota in terms of hybrid adoption.

American & Other Automakers

Ford and GM’s technology profile is similar to the Germans, using turbocharging and direct injection combined with 7+ gear transmissions.

GM uses turbocharging less frequently, but stands out with its high usage of cylinder deactivation technology, at 54% of models. Referred to by GM as Active Fuel Management (AFM), this feature shuts down half of the engine’s cylinders during light driving.

GM is known for its small-block V8 engines, which can be had in many of the company’s models. Given the high cylinder count of a V8, AFM is a clever trick for improving fuel efficiency.

Stellantis, which is a merger between Italian-American Fiat Chrysler and French Peugeot, has not widely adopted many technologies except for the 7+ gear transmission.

Finally there’s Tesla, which does not use any of the aforementioned technologies due to it being a pure electric automaker.

Going The Way of the Dinosaur

The technologies shown in this infographic have helped to bring the average mpg of a new car to record highs in recent years.

Many of these innovations could become obsolete as automakers slowly phase out gasoline engines. In 2021, six major automakers including Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and GM pledged to phase out the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered cars by 2040.

Other companies such as Porsche believe that the combustion engine still has a future, pointing to synthetic fuels as a means of significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

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Can We Close the $11 Trillion Climate Investment Gap?

$11 trillion needs to be invested in nature-based solutions between 2022 and 2050 to combat climate change.

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The following content is sponsored by Carbon Streaming Corporation

Can We Close the $11 Trillion Climate Investment Gap?

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) include actions to preserve or restore natural ecosystems to address social, economic, and environmental challenges effectively, while simultaneously providing benefits to the community. 

To achieve its goal of limiting climate change to below 1.5°C by 2050, the UN says that substantial investment in NbS needs to happen. The same investments will also help stop biodiversity loss and deliver land degradation neutrality.

This visualization, sponsored by Carbon Streaming Corporation, explores the investment requirements for various NbS sectors and highlights the critical role of protecting many ecosystems in achieving climate targets.

The Crucial Role of Ecosystem Protection

Terrestrial and marine ecosystems are invaluable when it comes to addressing climate change. They act as natural carbon sinks, effectively absorbing and storing approximately 40% of global carbon emissions. 

More specifically, the conservation and restoration of forests, wetlands, grasslands, coastal areas, seagrass, and peatlands is essential to keeping greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere. 

But to effectively combat climate change, the estimated cumulative investment required in nature-based solutions between 2022 and 2050 is $11 trillion

NbS Investment AreaCumulative Investment Required 2022-2050 (US$ Trillion)
Agroforestry$3.6 Trillion
Reforestation$3.4 Trillion
Restoration (Seagrass & Peatlands)$1.6 Trillion
Protection$1.3 Trillion
Other Land Management$1.1 Trillion

This investment will drive large-scale restoration, conservation efforts, sustainable land-use practices, and ecosystem protection.

A Closer Look at the Investment Gap

Currently, only 17% of NbS investment comes from private sources. However, the annual investment needs to increase fourfold by 2050, which amounts to $520 billion of additional annual NbS investment.

YearNbS Investment Required ($B per year)Increase from 2022
2022$154B-
2025$384Bx2
2030$484Bx3
2050$674Bx4

Collaboration between governments, the private sector, and international organizations is critical to mobilize resources, establish innovative financing mechanisms, and incentivize investments.

Benefits of NbS

Capital allocated to nature-based solutions not only helps combat climate change but also delivers a plethora of other benefits. For example, these solutions promote biodiversity conservation, enhance ecosystem services, support local communities, and foster sustainable development. 

Investment in this space is crucial to meeting the UN’s 2050 goals. By financing the creation or expansion of nature-based carbon projects, our sponsor, Carbon Streaming Corporation secures the rights to future carbon credits generated by these projects. 

Consumers and businesses can purchase these carbon credits to provide the necessary capital and immediate action needed to effectively combat climate change.

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Learn more about Carbon Streaming and how you can get involved now.

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