"Despite shifting into higher gear within the consumer's green conscience, hybrid vehicles are still tethered to the gas pump via a fuel-thirsty 100-year-old invention: the internal combustion engine.
However, researchers at Michigan State University have built a prototype gasoline engine that requires no transmission, crankshaft, pistons, valves, fuel compression, cooling systems or fluids. Their so-called Wave Disk Generator could greatly improve the efficiency of gas-electric hybrid automobiles and potentially decrease auto emissions up to 90 percent when compared with conventional combustion engines."

source: New engine shakes up auto industry - Technology & science - Innovation - msnbc.com

What someone wrote:
This could ****in change everything. Think about it. 90% less emissions, less fuel consumpiton, 1000lbs lighter cars (better performance and fule consuption). How will automobile companies view this? (buy it out and crush it). WIll this fade away like many amazing prototypes?

What I think:
Sounds too good to be true. Do any of you gear heads have an opinion on this? Thank you I really appreciate it.

 

Wow. That's pretty incredible. It's so simple it's a wonder it's a new idea. This could change everything we know about cars. As long at the automakers aren't allowed to buy the rights to the patent and bury the idea so they can keep doing things the way they're accustomed this will be huge.

It's like a cross between a jet engine, an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Like a jet in the fact that it turns a turbine, like an electric motor in the fact that the more fuel (or current) you put through it the more output you get, and like an internal combustion engine in the fact that it still uses gas....

 

Very interesting. I'd be very interested to see adequate-power (for automotive use), working examples in production for testing.

 

idk he says 25kw is enough to drive a full size vehicle, thats only 33hp

 

+1 for the more greener power in future.

 

The inventors of this will probably have some negative media campaign thrown at them to discredit their invention and quietly be bought out by interested parties. Call it my conspiracy theory...

 

thrash is that a new bike?! fking sweet

and yeah...I remember when the electric car was hyped and then died down (not now obviously)...hmmm

 

08. Had it since new. Love it.

 

back when cars first became popular there were 3 powerplant options...gas, electric, or steam. Gas was the most sustainable and most realistic so it became dominant. Electric cars have been around just as along as the ICE though its not new technology its just been refined and has been made practical. Electric cars are just as old as any other type of car. With new battery technology and such its just made electric cars more plausible as a daily driver. Electrice motors are hundreds of years old. THe best innovations ive seen to both electric and gasoline motors are courtesy of motoczysz check them out

 

Unfortunately I think you're completely right. The petroleum industry along with the major players in the field will never let this see the mass production line. At least not in the next 20-30 years. Me thinks...