The Future of the Internal-Combustion Engine - Feature - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver The article's got some decent (to me) high level overviews of various changes/tweaks (some already deployed) to improve ICE efficiency such as direct injection, variable displacement, variable valve timing, direct injection turbo with ethanol, etc.
yes, the ICE can fight hard for a couple more decades. but even if they hit 50% efficiency (which seems unlikely in an automotive application, except maybe range extenders), it won't be long until battery chemistry allows 15kwh per gallon and petrol is therefore completely defunct. As soon as the porsches and ferraris of the world are EV, everyone will want to follow.
great informative article on engine tech, but those forward looking comments are nothing but "seat of the pants" guesses by people no more qualified to make the statements as anyone else. price of gas is the thing that will determine EV market penetration. if gas is still $3 a gallon, they will be right. if not, they will be wrong. simple as that.
