shows us that the cheapest internal combustion engine cars are starting to fall behind in performance, and this doesn’t bode well for the future of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles.points out that the 2024 Buick Envista with its 1.2-liter turbo motor is priced below $24,000 and showcases an impressive and sleek exterior. With its front-wheel-drive capabilities and compliance with emerging regulations, it could sadly also inaugurate the dusk of high-performance gas-powered vehicles.
For example, the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 V8 Coupe had a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds, which is the same time a Chevy Bolt EUV gets. One was a high performer in its day, and the other is a budget economy car with an electric drivetrain, and not some performance EV. I love mine, but I’m under no delusions that it’s a Tesla Plaid or a Lucid Sapphire.
In the late 1800s, engines were simple two-stroke powerhouses that featured a basic carburetor and spark plug. But as cars grew in popularity, engines experienced technological advancements. Engineers started adding multiple cylinders, valvetrains, and fuel-injection systems to refine the engine’s performance, and then later to do this while meeting emissions requirements at the same time.
But, internal combustion technology has physical limits. As emissions requirements get stricter and stricter, the ability to deliver affordable power that also meets the requirements is increasingly in doubt. For luxury ICE cars, this isn’t a problem, but for budget cars, power outputs are going down instead of up to affordably deliver on emissions.The fact is, there’s really no future for affordable ICE with this happening.
You can probably see where this is going. For all but a few limited-production enthusiast vehicles, the penalty of owning an ICE will outweigh any issues most buyers have with EVs.Battery Supplies Could Force Many People Into The Penalty Box If We’re Not Careful