Why ECO Cars Have a Better Fuel Economy

There are many different reasons why cars that are considered ECO have better fuel economy than regular fuel-powered vehicles. ECO cars are powered by revolutionary new methods that are specifically designed to cut down on the amount of fuel used. Whether the manufacturers had the environment, the pocketbooks of their consumers, or simply this brand new, burgeoning corner of the market in mind, their excellent fuel economy is the one factor that binds all ECO cars together.

The revolutionary new methods invented to power ECO cars may be used on their own in some models or combined with more common technology in other models to create a hybrid ECO car. One example of a hybrid vehicle is the kind that has both a fuel-powered motor and a lithium-ion battery. For short distances, this car can run on just the battery, cutting the fuel costs down to almost nothing. When the battery runs low, the car can switch to fuel power and keep going without having to stop for a recharge. When technologies are combined, the resulting hybrids can have many of the strengths of both technologies and fewer weaknesses.

Part of the reason for the improved fuel economy on certain ECO vehicles can be attributed to the lighter weight of some ECO models. Sometimes all that needs to be done to make an ECO vehicle is to simply build a design that is smaller and lighter than anything else on the road. A vehicle that is lighter and smaller tends to use less energy. Fuel costs are often drastically reduced in direct relation to the weight of the car.

Another method of making an ECO vehicle that consumes less fuel is to design a more efficient power system. With these types of vehicles, the body and frame can be as heavy as needed. As long as the power system is efficient enough, the overall energy use of the car will be reduced no matter how much it weighs.

Plug-ins and all-electric vehicles are ECO cars that get better fuel economy due to the cheaper price of electricity. All-electric vehicles are powered purely by electricity, using zero fossil fuels of any kind. Plug-ins may use minor amounts of petrol or diesel in emergencies but are powered mostly by electric charges. Because electricity is many times cheaper than petrol or diesel, these types of cars can go anywhere for a lot less of a cost than most regular vehicles. Some all-electrics and plug-ins are even as much as ten times cheaper to run than regular petrol-powered automobiles.

Another way that some ECO cars get better fuel economy is through an alternate form of transmission. Where regular vehicles have certain set gears within which the car always has to operate, a new form of transmission has been gaining popularity in which the gear ratio is variable instead of constant. This transmission, known as continuously variable transmission or CVT, allows the car to always run at the peak of its fuel economy capacity and get the most efficient gear ratio no matter at what speed it is currently driving. Cars with continuously variable transmission usually get as much as 8% better fuel economy and can have reduced emissions of up to a tenth less than a regular vehicle.

In whatever form it takes, ECO technology is slowly engulfing the world of automobiles. Fuel economy is important to most if not all consumers, and whether an ECO car takes the shape of a plug-in, an all-electric, a hybrid, or an alternative fuel vehicle, if it can get from one place to another for cheaper than its competitors, it is usually welcomed with open arms.

Hugh McInnes is a car lover addicted to driving his new ECOnetic car. He believes the added benefit of an ECO car is the good fuel economy, as they have low CO2 emissions and as car taxation is based on CO2, reducing emissions here brings many benefits, including free road tax.