Was thinking about this on the way into work this morning. The amount of heat that comes off the engine would be a great source of energy if it could be recycled. However, car manufacturers haven't found a way of recycling it just yet.

So the cabin heater, where the heat comes from the hot coolant, heated by the engine's excess heat isn't something like that?

What about the turbochargers, which are driven by the hot exhaust gases to take some of that energy back?

So the cabin heater, where the heat comes from the hot coolant, heated by the engine's excess heat isn't something like that?

What about the turbochargers, which are driven by the hot exhaust gases to take some of that energy back?

They do take a small amount fo heat from the engine, but not much at all.

We're talking about making an IC engine a lot more efficient by using most, if not all or the wasted heat. Think how much is lost through the radiator and engine block. They reckon an IC engine is around 15 to 20% efficient, so that means we have up to 100kw (1.8t for exmaple has 132kw as standard at full tilt) of potential energy being wasted in heat.

They do take a small amount fo heat from the engine, but not much at all.

We're talking about making an IC engine a lot more efficient by using most, if not all or the wasted heat. Think how much is lost through the radiator and engine block. They reckon an IC engine is around 15 to 20% efficient, so that means we have up to 100kw (1.8t for exmaple has 132kw as standard at full tilt) of potential energy being wasted in heat.

Well do not tell the diesel boys and girls but Diesel Internal Combustion engines can be in the 40%. Petrol direct injection and turbocharged are in the 30s now. Just look how good the new M5 engine is compared to the old one, literally 20% better, more effecient than the old non-turbo one.

Hybrid and regenerative technology dwarf Stirling engines which, like diesels are really siuted more to very large vehicles or static situations.