According to Discovery News, “…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.

“The engine has a rotor that’s equipped with wave-like channels that trap and mix oxygen and fuel as the rotor spins. These central inlets are blocked off, building pressure within the chamber, causing a shock wave that ignites the compressed air and fuel to transmit energy.”

The part about no transmission makes sense since many hybrid vehicles already don’t use a transmission and they power an electric motor as well. Another part to this story that doesn’t make sense is that the new Wave Disk Generator is said to be 60-percent efficient in burning gasoline and traditional cars are only 15-percent efficient, which is odd since everything I’ve ever read points to average gasoline-powered engines being 25 to 30-percent efficient as burning fuel.

No matter whether the Wave Disk Generator is 2 times or 3.5 times as efficient as a traditional internal combustion engine, the new hybrid car engine is 20-percent lighter and 30-percent cheaper to manufacture.

This means that fuel efficiency will increase because of two factors. The first factor is the efficiency of the Wave Disk Generator (whatever the exact figure is) and the fact that it is lighter (about 1,000 lbs lighter than a traditional engine). Adding weight to any vehicle decreases the MPG’s and vice versa.

What is new about how the Wave Disk Generator achieves its 90-percent reduction in emissions and increased MPGs by the generation of shock waves in a spinning air-fuel mixture which increases compression.

If all goes as planned you will start seeing the Wave Disk Generator hybrid cars in showrooms in about 3 years. Here’s a Youtube video that explains in more detail why the Wave Disk Generator is about the revolutionize not only Detroit but the rest of the world as well.

There are several blue car offerings from Mercedes, Subaru, BMW and Toyota. The Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec is based upon clean diesel technology and will have an additional 32 horsepower bump due to direct injection.

The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept first premiered at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. It uses a 2.0 Liter direct turbocharged gasoline engine plus a lithium ion battery pack and two electric motors front and back.

The BMW MINI Coupe Concept was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the first MINI. Besides being good on gas, this 2-seater has a 1.6L twin-scroll turbo-charged engine.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept also debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. With all the hype about the Chevy Volt Plug-in Hybrid, the Toyota PHEV Prius may exceed everyone’s expectations and kick the Volt to the curb in sales. One of the reasons is that the Prius PHEV, using a 230 volt outlet will need only 1.5 hours to recharge.

These are the latest blue, green car North American debuts and concept cars that will be showcased at the L. A. Auto Show from December 4 – 13, 2009.

In 2005, the MYT Engine received the first prize in the NASA Tech Briefs design contest. In 2005 and 2006, the MYT Engine made appearances at the SEMA show and Los Angeles Auto Show and had many people talking.

The idea behind the MYT Engine for Raphial Morgado was to sell this design to one of the big automakers and let them mass-produce it and sell it to the public. But, this didn’t come to be as potential investors wanted a 50-percent stake in the company so that they could shelve the project.

And, so in 2007 and 2008 the MYT Engine went quiet during this period citing financial difficulties for the reason. Now, however, the company has decided to make a comeback and sell the MYT Engine as a retrofit in franchises all across the U. S.

The MYT Engine is a clean burning machine as it can run on diesel, biodiesel, other biofuels and even hydrogen. The size of the MYT Engine for cars and SUVs will be about the size of one’s alternator, weigh less than 100 lbs and yet have the same power and torque as a typical ICE.

Mr. Morgado estimates that because of the 60-percent efficiency of the MYT Engine, coupled with the reduced overall weight of the vehicle, his design will come in at around 150 mpg. The U. S. military will be the first customer of the MYT Engine and after that truck drivers, fleet managers and those in the aviation industry are also potential customers who have been clamoring for the Massive Yet Tiny engine to go commercial.

If Mr. Morgado receives his expected $10 million in funding to set up his pilot production facility, he expects the MYT Engine to be available to the public within the next 6 to 12 months.

Many thanks to Robert Pritchett over at Pure Energy Systems Network for the tip on this one and for posting the radio interview about the comeback of the MYT Engine.

The Avion uses a modified Mercedes diesel engine and aerodynamic body made of aluminum and composites and weighing in a just 1,500 pounds. By the looks of the vehicle one would assume that this little sports car is more red than green, built for high performance and not mileage performance.

But, looks are deceiving and so was the marketplace in 1984. Henderson and Green tried to sell their 100 mpg vehicle to the major automakers back then but were given the excuse that gasoline was cheap and no one would want to buy it. Do you buy it?

The same was said shortly before the electric car was crushed several years ago as well. No matter, as this Phoenix has risen from the ashes and will now compete for the Progressive Automotive X-Prize with a chance of winning $10 million.

The two parameters in which the 120 teams (to date) will compete are that the vehicles entered for the prize need to get over 100 mpg and they have to be commercial ready vehicles that people want to buy.

By the looks and performance of the Avion, a person must think that this is an instant contender.