Mazda reportedly introducing sparkless gas engine in 2018
http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2017/01/16/mazda-reportedly-introducing-sparkless-gas-engine-in-2018.html...The automaker is reportedly set to introduce the first modern gasoline automobile engine that works more like a diesel, using compression to ignite its fuel mixture, rather than an electronic spark.
The technology is known as Homogenous Charge Combustion Ignition (HCCI,) and it could deliver a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy, according to Nikkei. The lean-running motors also deliver better emissions performance than conventional gasoline engines.
Several automakers and engineering outfits have been working on HCCI in recent years, but issues with cold starting and the precise timing of the combustion make it a difficult technology to engineer. One solution has been the incorporation of part-time spark plugs that kick in at certain temperatures or engine loads. Mazda hasn’t publically revealed its plans, or exactly how its version works....