Are Engines Getting Even Smaller?

Even though the horsepower numbers we can find in the automotive market are at an all-time high, we seem to see more small engines than in the past. The fact that engineers have learned how to tune and program engines to be powerful and efficient at the same time has made the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine more than just a commonality, its one that has a variety of great ways for you to have the power you want in many of the cars we see and drive on a daily basis, but that might not be where small engines end.

Recently news has arisen that shows that at least one company is working on an engine that’s extremely small to give us even more efficiency. The question isn’t going to be whether or not this engine has the ability to function and be part of the automotive market, but more likely how it will be used and in what markets it will be sold. While we’re used to more power in the US, there are many countries with small and tight roads that require vehicles that fit on these roads and offer the efficiency required to have the drive desired.

The Hyundai Development

The recent patent that’s been filed for a smaller engine has been executed by Hyundai. The application for this patent first took place on December 9, 2016, and it was finally published onMarch 15, 2018. This patent is for a two-cylinder engine that’s expected to be put into a passenger car, not a motorcycle, and might be used in the future vehicles offered. This little engine patent also details a small motor that’s made for reducing vibration and noise, which results in an improved fuel economy for the driving comfort you want.

While the development of an engine with only two cylinders seems to be too small and without enough power for the market, it’s not the first and only time we’ve ever seen an engine this small in a car. The Volkswagen XL1 is powered by an 800cc two-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that does the job of getting this car going where it needs to. This is a car we don’t see in the North American market, but it’s been great in other areas of the world as a vehicle that can drive and be useful on small and tight roads.

What will Hyundai do with their two-cylinder engine? While we don’t know yet what this brand will do with an engine that has so few cylinders in the block, we do know they have been working extremely hard to bring us greater efficiency and work toward the hybrid and electric models we want to drive. It’s possible, in the name of efficient driving, Hyundai is working to see how they can still make use of gasoline and offer us an engine that’s smaller than in the past for the ride we’ll want on the road. So far, all we see is a patent filing, but the future will tell us more about what this engine will be used for.

Ready to take a Hyundai for a spin? Choose the athletic and powerful Hyundai Santa Fe Sport.

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