Automotive engine

Internal combustion engines, like the 1.6-litre (0.35 imp gal; 0.42 US gal) petrol engine from 2009 seen here, have been the dominant propulsion system for most of the history of automobiles

As of 2013 there were a wide variety of propulsion systems available or potentially available for automobiles and other vehicles. Options included internal combustion engines fueled by petrol, diesel, propane, or natural gas; hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, fuel cell vehicles fueled by hydrogen and all electric cars. Fueled vehicles seemed to have the short term advantage due to the limited range and high cost of batteries. Some options required construction of a network of fueling or charging stations.^[1] With no compelling advantage for any particular option car makers where pursuing parallel development tracks using a variety of options. Reducing the weight of vehicles was one strategy being employed. The use of high-technology in advanced designs resulting from substantial investments in development research by European and Japanese countries seemed to give an advantage to them over Chinese automakers and parts suppliers who, as of 2013, had low development budgets and lacked capacity to produce parts for high-tech engine and power train designs.^[2]

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