Electric vehicules

The electric vehicule has been democratized in the last decade by some continents to reduce the atmospheric pollution. However, we already have discovered electric vehicles in the beginning of automotive industry (around 1870). However, technical issues are still the same for today's purposes like the size of an electrical engine and its autonomy. 

Car companies cannot develop smaller electrical engines with bigger autonomy. That is one of the main reason that we (Europeans) have stayed into combustion engine because the autonomy is much more better than electric vehicles autonomy. 

The question here is why are we producing electric vehicles today? 

The answer is because of the European Union directives that reacted too late for sustainability issues by mandate laws about pollution emissions created by combustion engines. Hence, European Union is late for the battle of electric vehicles, China and the United States of America took advantage on producing electric vehicles by creating new brands, only specialized in electric vehicles such as Tesla. In fact, European car brands are producing electric vehicles on existant thermic cars to compensate the balance of this new market. 

Furthermore, China is contolling 80% of the total value of a produced electric car, It also controls 70% of the total value of a produced electric engine, which is making disadvantageous the European car companies. 

But why the Chinese have been involved sooner than the other?

The argument here is because Chinese car companies could not be able to respect the polluting emissions restrictions mandates by the European Union because Chinese were too late to devlop small combustion engines without polluting emissions than European Union car companies. 

Is electric vehicles are less polluting than combustion engines? 

In my opinion, to produce an electric vehicle you will need 10 kg of raw cobalt just for an engine without counting the other electronic components needed in a car. That raw cobalt is extracted from Democratic Republic of Congo controlled by Chinese companies specialized in the domain and without considering human rights and beings. Then it is imported to China to transform cobalt to put into an electrical engine. The only element that is mesurable in Europe is the oxygen dioxide. But this is not the only element that polluting the atmosphere. Consequently, the European Union did not consider pollution from dust tyres, brake calipers dusts and other dusts generated by a cars while moving. It also did not consider nitrogen oxide (NOx) from what a combustion engine does, particularly gasoil engines, because this element is more dangerous to the atmosphere than CO2 because it increases more the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere. Moreover, an electric vehicle is heavier than a traditional combustion car because of all the electronics components in an electrical vehicle. Therefore, tyres' durability are less longer than petrol powered cars. (28,000 km for an average electric vehicle. 45,000 km for a petroled engine car). 

Finally, electric vehicles are not a viable solution rather than petrol powered cars because it divides the world in three parts. The ones who can afford them with thinking that they are no more going to pollute by producing "new" electric vehicles. The others that cannot afford them, even if they live into a developed country, because they are inbetween the rich and the poor people. Finally, the rest of the world which are not considered.

Consequently, to change our methods, our way of life, we must wait until 2050 at least, because the world has not been prepared to this change.

New powers among mobility

We are in a turning point of  the human history. Although, we need cars to move around the world. The recent government of countries supported by the Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change (I.P.C.C.) has decided to change how to live in the world, with replacing our old polluting combustion cars to an beautiful expensive, but up to date, electric car (which does not pollute air at all). Many people in the world, especially in Europe, cannot afford them because it is too expensive. 

Anyway, this is not a debate between the two types of power which could be introduced in another topic.

Here, you will see that there are alternative power between the traditional combustion petrol engine and the electric engine.

Firstly, Hydrogen fueled engine.

An hydrogen fueled car is becoming more and more a real alternative for mobility. The principle of this engine is based on transforming the dihydrogen a chemical energy to produce  an electrical enrgy power to move the vehicule forward. The fuel tank is filled by hydrogen that supply power to the fuel cell. The fuel cell is composed of an anode (+) and a cathode (-) and between the poles you will find water (H2O) with hydrogen ion. The process here is to trade the electrons (e-) with the hydrogen ions (+) to create electricity by electrolysis. In the exhaust, you create water steam rejected by the process. Consequently, you are not polluting the atmosphere if you reject water steam.

Then, synthetic fuel or eFuel.

This is something very new and actually it was thought before, but it was too expensive to develop this in the 90's and in the last  two decades. However, engineers form Porsche has discovered and developped this alternative fuel in which is still a combustion engine. In fact, Porsche wants to continue on eFuel in order to create less pollution and contribute with substainability by capturing the carbon dioxide (CO2) with big fans and transforms it into eMethanol (CH3OH) which become injected in the cylinder chambers like a combustion engine. Moreover, like hydrogen engines, the only energies that the company uses are water and air, to create electrolysis. Therefore, It is also a solution to reduce pollution. However, it is polluting but less than our traditional fossil fuels.

Finally, atomic engine.  

The atomic engine is much more an utopia than a realized solution. However, I talked about that earlier when I was in my mecanical studies with a teacher that said it. In my opinion, I do not know if it was already mentionned and thought previously by thermodynamics engineers. Although, We know how nuclear power plants work. The next step of engines in automotive should be thinking of that source. Yet, we know also all the consequencies of the nuclear power on the environement such as the most catastrophic disaster in the world in 1986 in Chernobyl. Furthermore, It is not impossible to realize a nuclear powered engine like in submarines or aircraft carriers which do have atomic engines and work. Consequently, it could be other disasters because radiations by atomic splits are the most polluting element in the world. Therefore, my suggestion here is biased because of that. However, if we will control that energy there will be no longer fuel tanks in our car because a small unit of uranium can produce a massive quantity of electricity. Then, it will last for an eternity.

Automotive safety - Passive safety

You will read in this topic the main passive safety devices that a car has. It could be standard today and normal to see them in cars but it was not the case before. Basically if security has increased (in every vehicules) over the decades it is because of major accidents that has changed designs and laws to reduce wounded people and death. (also a money issue for insurance). You are going to see the two most important passive safety devices in a car.

However, What is active safety? And passive safety?

Active safety in cars = to avoid an accident, it includes all the electronic systems such as A.B.S. (Anti-lock Braking System), E.S.C. (Electronic Stability Control), automated lane keeping system, speed regulator or adaptive cruise control. 

Passive safety in cars = after an accident = crashworthiness, it includes seatbelts, airbags, head restraints, tempered glass or laminated windshield, crumple zones and anti-intrusion bars (when it is a side collison). 

Here let's begin with the three point seatbelt.

It is common to see them in cars because it is mandatory now on new produced cars. In 1959 a Swedish engineer, Nils Bohlin devlopped the three point seatbelt in Volvo's car and Volvo has been pionneers among the automotive industry in security devices. So in 1959, this was patended, but Volvo released it free for the other companies because it was a major found for security and it has protected lots of life. in France, it is mandatory to wear your seatbelt since July 1973. The U.S. follow this mandate a month after France, starting with the 1974 models.

It is preventing the passengers being ejected during a crash or a roll-over. Moreover, the three point seatbelt shape is efficient because it is protecting the shoulders, the pelvis and the chest while moving forward. The material of seatbelts used to be nylon but it was replaced by polyester which is more durable.  

Airbag. 

If you want to know, airbags are not mandatory while producing a car. The only country of where it is mandatory is The United States of America since 1998. Airbags were developed by General Motors and Ford in the 1950's. The process of how an airbag triggers is based on compressed air which blew up a bag in the 45 miliseconds after the impact (which is less than a blinking eye (100 ms)). In fact, it is gaz generated by the combustion of lozenges which blows up the bag. There are different types of airbags in a car now such as side-airbags, side torso airbags or pedestrian airbag.

Formula one technology applied on road cars

Here is a brief topic of what racing technologies came into daily cars.

The rear-side mirrors

It can be usual to see rear-side mirrors on cars nowadays but it was not in the twentieth century and also, it was not mandatory for car brands to put mirrors on their car. The story came from a race in 1911 in the United States of America, in the 500 miles of Indianapolis race. Ray Harroun mounted a mirror on the front of his car in order to know what happened behind him. In Europe, the rear-side mirrors is obligatory on vehicules since March 1st, 1971.    

Active suspensions

This could be more technical here because you have different types of suspensions since the begenning of automobile. Suspensions are the link between the wheels and the chassis of the vehicule. It helps the vehicule to not feeling the variations on roads when you drive your car. Active suspension is much more than feeling good in your car. In fact, the suspension is controlled electronically by sensitive sensors or infrared sensors placed near the wheels or on the suspensions to help more the chassis and anticipates these variations in which you will not feel the degradations on roads. This technology first appeared in Formula one in 1992 where the Williams team won the championship this year thanks to this technology on their cars.

Double overhead camshaft (D.O.H.C)

This technology was invented in 1912 by FIAT and you will find in the majority of vehicules today. But what is the purpose of it? The principle is to managed the valves to be more efficient during the timing diagram. Therefore there are two camshaft in the engine, one for the intake and the other one for the exhaust. In Formula one the D.O.H.C. is controlled by actuators and also by an electromagnetic system to control the valves.

Steering wheel

Steering wheels always existed in cars. But steering wheels on F1 cars has different buttons on it and in the last decade these buttons has been democratized on road cars to call someone by pressing a button or to regulate your speed cruise on the road. Today you can see them as standard.  

Mythical racetracks in the world

Here is the most mythical racetracks on the world. 

Let's begin with the longest track in the world:

- Nürburgring Gesamtstrecke named also "Green Hell"

Here is the record lap of the "Nordeschleife"

This track is 25.947 km long and it has 170 turns. In the 60's and the 70's this track was part of the Formula 1 championship. This track is situated in Germany and it is considered as an highway over there. Be sure to have a very good insurance to drive there, because if you crash your car on the security panels remember that a meter of a steel security panel costs 1,000 Euro to change it. The racetrack was inaugurated in March 1927 and pilots can race the 24 hours of the Nürburgring which is raced on the track just above.

-Le Mans - Circuit de la Sarthe

I already mentionned it in previous post about "Racing cars and different type of races". that you can click on the link to see it if you did not read it before.

Automobile history: Different types of races and different type of race cars (blogautomobilehistorywitharthur.blogspot.com)

However Le Mans is the famous racetrack in the world. Based in France, this racetrack saw many of car constructors came in to race the 24 hours of Le Mans. the first racing of the 24 hours of Le Mans was set in 1923 so a hundred year before I wrote this sentence.The most titled constructor is Porsche with 19 wins overall.

- SPA Francorchamps

This racetrack is base in Belgium and it is famous because of the turns number 3, 4 and 5 called "Raidillon" and "Eau Rouge". It is a famous slope where pilots speed between the turns to arrive on a crest before a long straight. For many pilots it is the most technical track in the world. The race length is 7.004 km today. It is not used to be like that at the inauguration in 1921, the track length in 1921 was 14.981 km. The circuit has 20 turns. 

- Monaco - Circuit of Monaco - "Monte Carlo"

This urban circuit might be unique in the motor sports world. It is a one of two racetrack used in the beginning of Formula 1 in 1950 and it is still used today. However, this track was already used in 1929. It is the slowest track in Formula 1 and overtakes are hard in it. The circuit has 18 turns.

- Mount Panorama Circuit - Bathrust

This circuit is a famous Australian racetrack in the Australian V8 Supercar championship. The track was designed on a mountain. The difference between the lowest point and the highest point is 174 m. Furthermore, the track has 23 turns. It was inaugurated in 1938. Moreover, when there are no event, road cars can circulate on both side of the track but the speed limit is 60 kph and police patrols can control you.

- Pikes Peak International Hillclimb - "The race to the clouds"

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the most dangerous race in the world and also the third oldest race in the United States of America (1916) behind The Mount Washington Hiilclimb Auto Race (1904) and The 500 Miles of Indianapolis (1911). Before 2012, the race track was partially asphalt and gravel and it changed the time references because you cannot compare the time before 2012 to today's time. The track measures 19.99 km, the starting point of the race is at 2,865 m, it has 156 turns and it ends at 4,302 m. That is why this is called "the race to the clouds". In fact, the most powerful cars which are categorized as "Unlimited class" can have 1000 hp and the body kit can look extravagant. As you read before, the unlimited class means that you can do everything you want on the car. However, there is an explanation for the power of these car. A combustion engine power needs air to work and in this case, when you are on a mountain the more you are growing up to the hill, the less you get in oxygen. Therefore, a thousand-horsepowered car lose about 600 hp which makes your car work with only 400 hp on the top of the hill. In opposition, the electric race cars do not lose power, because they do not need oxygen. Therefore, electric cars are in advantage against combustion engine and it was demonstrated by breaking the record on the former one which was a thermal car. Lot of pilots coming from rally have run in the Colorado's mountain.

Different types of races and different type of race cars

Here we will see all the motor sport disciplines in the world recognized by the F.I.A. (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) and we will see the most titled cars in each discipline.

1 - Races 

W.E.C. - World Endurance Championship

This type of races gathers four categories where the cars race together on the same racetrack. The differences between all categories are power regulations, dimension regulations, fuel tank capacity, height, width and weight regulations. By the way, I am not a specialist of this type of race, but all you can know from it, is the famous racetrack in the world which is Le Mans (in France). The race is a 24h non-stop race and it required an exellent teamwork here between engineers, pilots, mecanicians and other departements related for the team. If a team wins Le Mans then it means a lot for the automotive industry because it proves that your car is reliable on a 24h race, it can go very fast, it can turn very fast and it can brake very fast into hard turns. However it means a lot back in the days for car brands to develop a corporate image. At the beginning of Le Mans, sometimes, there were no pilot rotation and the pilot had to run the 24h race only by himself which is really dangerous because you always have to speed.

The four categories these days are: 

- Hypercar (Formerly Le Mans Prototype 1 (L.M.P.1))

Here is the Peugeot 9X8

This is the highest category. The cars are designed and produced by the car company which engages in the race.

- Le Mans Prototype 2 (L.M.P.2)

                                                here on the left is the SMP Racing BR-01 Nissan

This is an inferior division of "prototypes" because the engine power is lower than the Hypercars.  

- Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance Professional (L.M.G.T.E. PRO)

In this category, it is private teams but supported by the car brand which it refers to. It is production cars transformed into race cars.

- Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance Amateur (L.M.G.T.E.AM)

In this category, you have also private teams, non-professional drivers coming from different ways but you have at least one professional pilot in these teams. you can distinguish both categories by spotting stickers on the cars  "PRO" and "AM".  

W.R.C. - World Rally Championship

This is my favorite race type in all the motor sport disciplines. These pilots are astonishing. They drive a car from a starting point to an end point between forests, spectators, jumps, animals, mountain roads, hairpins, crossing rivers. Pilots drive these car on asphalt, on gravel and on snow and sometimes both conditions helped by the notes of a co-pilot. Moreover, they drive it on any weather conditions. This is the only racing category to be "street legal" in any countries in the world because these cars have a license plate on it. Therfore, it means that you can drive it on every roads. Cars of this category are produced cars, modified with restrictions with a based produced engine (also modified).

There are four categories running into the championship:

- Rally 1 (WRC1)

The main and the highest category. These cars are hybrid cars since 2022. The combustion engine develops 380 H.P. (horsepower) and the electric motor develops 100 kW (136 H.P.). In total, the addition of the two engines make these cars be powered at 506 H.P. However, the electric engine is used into specific points on stages which are located on cards put on the road.

- Rally 2 and Rally 3 (Formerly R5)

These cars are less extravagant than the Rally 1 cars and it looks like much more at a produced car. The combustion engine power is around 280 horsepower and it is subdivided into two categories which is also like what I wrote previously in the Le Mans G.T.E. "PRO" and "AM". Therefore, Rally 2 are professional pilots and Rally 3 are non-professional (or becoming in the future).

- Rally Junior (or R2).

Finally, the rookies category in which many of them want to become a professional. There is only one car competiting in this category which is the Ford Fiesta R2, and the engine is powered by a 180 H.P. engine. 

W.R.X. - World Rallycross Championship

Rallycross was recognized as part of the "official" F.I.A. races in 2014, although, the roots started back in the 70's in the U.K. The race is different than rally because the race takes place on closed circuits mixing dirt and asphalt. the race format is shorter and it is a head-to-head races. It seems to be similar to rally for the structures, cars but it is completely different. the common thing is just the road surfaces

There are two categroies of cars:

- RX1 and RX1e

Such as W.RC., it is produced cars modified into race cars. However, the engine power is not the same. It is almost twice more powered than rally cars and it reaches 600 H.P. The electric vehicules came in 2021 jointed on the RX1 thermic cars. Electric rallycross cars have 500 kW (680 H.P.)

-RX2e (Formerly RX2)

It is the second category of rallycross and it is a less powered category. As in Junior WRC, the pilots drive the same. The power is quite similar in the WRC Rally 1 cars and it is powered by a 270 kW (362 H.P.) electrical engine.

W.2R.C. - World Rally-Raid Championship

I am not a big fan of cross-countries (or rally-raid), but I have to say that it is impressing me. This type of race is runned by governance by the FIA since 2022, even if this existed before FIA came into the game. The famous race in this type is the Dakar (formerly named Paris-Dakar). Due to political crisis on this part of the world in the last decade, it is no more starting at Paris and ending at Dakar.

We are just going to see the automobile categories, because there are also trucks, motos and quads which participate. Just to understand the appellation "T1","T3" and "T4", it is a name to categorize the regulations of these cars. I will not be able to explain a little more on these cars because I do not know about the regulations. However, I guess the pictures are explaining these regulations. 

- T1 

- T3

- T4

F.1 - Formula One

if it is blocked by YouTube (a.k.a: absurdity): 

Ferrari F2004 - Pure Onboard Sound V10 Engine [2004 F1 season] - YouTube

Formula 1 is the flower of motor sports. it is the most up to date in technology and some of the technology in F1 cars are applied on daily cars. However these technologies come ten years later after seen on F1 cars. Formula one is composed of twenty pilots on the grid who are racing for private teams helped by motorists or car brands insterested with F1 and the regulations are very specific. Moreover, the car is a one-seater car. To be honest, it is a very expensive motor sports and most of the pilots came from karting. In fact, these pilots are athletes because they  recieve lot of G-force on their body. these car go from 0 pkh to 100 kph in less than 3 seconds, pilots can turn with these at around 150 kph in tight turns. the decelaration between a straight line and a turn can be very shocking. This discipline rans for more than a century now and prizes at the end of races is about millions of Dollars.

The F1 cars are so specific that a pilot has to remember all the trackrace, it is like learn by heart every turn of a racetrack. In my opinion, these pilots are insane and they proving to people that they stretch to the limits machines.

Formula E

Formula E is a new discipline from the twenty-first century with the growing trend on electric vehicules, this discipline is copying Formula one by taking a one-seater car that engineers put an electric motor on it. However, the differences between the two disciplines are the length of the track, the places where it runs, the energy capacity, the shapes of these car and the tyres used for these cars. It appeared for its first time in 2014. the Formula E has twenty-two pilots who are also driving for private teams helped by car companies. Some pilots came from Formula one and it is not beacause they are bad F1 pilots. What I mean here is if a pilot drove a F1 car before that means that he or she is skilled.

Cult Cars

My first suggestion here is the most produced car in the world. 

Here is five of the most produced car in the world:

N°5 - FIAT Uno (1983-2013) more than 11,000,000 cars produced all around the globe

The FIAT Uno is the most Italian car produced ever, in 1993 the FIAT Punto seemed to replace the Uno in Europe. The main market was in south America, because it was cheap, simple (to not say archaic) and "reliable"

N°4: Peugeot 206 (1998-2013) more than 12,000,000 cars produced all around the globe

The Peugeot 206 is an iconic French car. Indeed, this car model is the replacement of another iconic Peugeot which is the former model car: the 205. In fact, this is my very one first car and it was a really good car to drive because of its chassis (I tried to choose the same model as mine here). Unfortunately, mine was broken because of the turbocharger on diesel engine (which was very fragile...)

N°3 - Ford T (1908-1927) more than 15,000,000 cars produced all around the globe

The Ford T is the first most produced car in the world thanks to his founder, Henry Ford. Ford has changed the twentieth century with a new engineering process: the Fordism. At the end of the nineteenth century, cars were artisanally produced and when a customers wanted a car it was not as simple as we know now. Customers had to compose all the parts of the automobile. Back in the days, you had to chose your engine motor. Then, you had to ask someone to do the car body. Yet, you had a unique car but you were the only one to had this luxurious car and it was really difficult to repair them since every parts of the car were unique (back then). However, there were not so much accident because cars were not fast as we know now. Furthermore, Ford (Henry) understood the issues of our modern era. He was advanced in his time and he revolutionised engineering and industry, with replicate a product in a massive way. With this new techniques, he globalized the car industry by wiping out rivalry, because he gained time by reproducing the same products and parts, and time is money and money is time in industry. 

N°2 - LADA 2101 and 2107 (1970-2012) more than 17,000,000 cars produced all around the globe

The LADA 2101-2107 or "Zhiguli" is one car from a former country (which is U.S.S.R.) and the story about this car is just a reproduction of an Italian car which is the FIAT 124 adapted to Russian roads and conditions. In fact, this car is a collaboration between the former sovietic government and FIAT. The sovietic government mendated VAZ (a Russian company - still existing nowadays) to create the sovietic car of the people. To imitate a part of United States and to generalize the inhabitant to drive because most of the time people travelled the country by horses (until 2009 it was possible to ride horses, but it is illegal now to ride them on a road, due to accidents). I am sure that you can find one of these car on the countryside over there.

N°1 - Volkwagen Type 1 - Beetle (1938-2013) 21,529,464 cars produced all around the globe

The Volkswagen Type 1 "Beetle" is the most produced car in the world by far from the other one metionned. But why was this car produced all around the world. We have to go back in a time where the world was commended by the maddest person of the twentieth century: Adolf Hitler. The Volkswagen company and cars are still existing but why? In fact, This car was designed and produced by another person and also friend of Hitler and this person made exellent sport cars. This person is Ferdinand Porsche, and we do know Porsche among brand names because this is also iconic cars in the world (when you look at a Porsche, you look also at the Volkswagen Type 1). The idea here was to globalize cars for the german people as Hitler wanted for "the glory an strong power of Germany" and the German industry were in advance by far compared to other countries in Europe (that is why France capitulated in June 1940). The car was made first for the German but the Wolfsburg industrial complex was bombed by Amricans during the Second World War, after the German lost on the War, the industrial complex was abandonned and many plans of the Type 1 were still on the site. Americans gathered back in the United States this is the main reason where Americans saw this vehicule on the American land. Furthermore, Ferdinand Porsche had stolen the primitive sketch from another car brand which is the NSU Type 32. 

Here you can notice that the top 2 cars were made in fascist directed countries, which is quite intriguing by the way...

My second suggestion here is the most famous cars seen in movies and in TV shows. I will show a few examples of the most famous car shot in movies and TV shows. Like previously, there will be five automobiles.

N°1: DeLorean DMC-12 - Back to the Future.

This car is maybe one of the most famous car seen. Yet, this car had not the reputation to be a good reliable car because of the engine made by a collaboration between Peugeot, Renault and Volvo. The PRV is a V6 petrol engine and it had a bad reputation in the car industry. The DeLorean DMC-12 is unique because of its body panel made in stainless steel and fiberglass. This is why the colour of the car seems metalic and it was the only colour available when it came on the market. However, since it is the only car with stainless steel it is difficult to repair the body panel because of its shape even if it is a "geometrical" shaped car.

N°2: Ford Gran Torino - Starsky and Hutch 

Another iconic car seen in movies and TV shows and I cannot forget this car. The Ford Gran Torino is the third generation of the Ford Torino. That iconic red and white stripes on the side of the car is one of the most recognizable car that you just say: " The Starsky and Hutch car". Another Ford Gran Torino Coupe was shot in one of Clint Eastwood film named as eponym "Gran Torino". 

N°3: Aston Martin DB5 - James Bond

If you think about films about cars, actions and romance (sometimes), you already think about James Bond and his famous car. Basically, it was not an Aston Martin chose for this saga, but it seems that the idea of choosing an Aston Martin car was: how to symbolize Britain with majesty?

N°4: Pontiac Firebird Trans Am - K2000

What an iconic car! When fiction becomes reality. What I mean by saying that is nowadays we can talk with our car by ask where to go or to call someone. Who could think about it in the 80's. Well this car demonstrates before anything else.

N°5 Ford Mustang Fastback GT 390 - Bullit

Well, another Ford... But this car is one of the most American thing recognizable all around the World. Every American owns a Mustang. And the film has a special livery on it because green was not a regular colour for this model. It always has been red, blue, white or black but not so much in green.

My third suggestion here is the tiniest car produced in the world. I will show you five cars which even a tall person could fit in (or maybe with lot of difficulties).

N°1: Smart Fortwo (1997-)

If you did not seen it before maybe you live in a cave or I do not know. The car mesurement is:  length: 2.540 m (100.0 in); Width: 1.510 m (59.4 in); height: 1.500 m (59.1 in). The initial project was made in order to move in a city with a car. The group Daimler-Benz created a subsidiary brand named Smart and the company is making this type of products, very small cars for city issues. The first model made in 1997 was not reliable and it coast a lot to Mercedes-Benz to produce these car because it made more deficits than benefits to the company. However, the Smart Fortwo is still produced with lot of evolution of the product.

N°2: Caterham Seven (1973-) or Lotus Seven (1957-1973)

You might notice that there are two constructors for only one car but why? The reason is simple. Lotus cars were founded by Colin Chapman and his adage was: "light is right". How about Caterham? In fact, Lotus factory is based in Caterham in the U-K. but the brand was founded by Graham Nearn in 1959. Chapman is the founder of the Seven and Caterham was just distributing the Lotus Seven in the U-K. In 1973 Chapaman let Nearn have the design plan and the tools of the Seven to sell them in the name of Caterham. It is basically a race car homologated on road. Sometimes I think that British are mad...

 

N°3: Renault Twizy (2011-2023)

The Renault Twizy is the very first electric model produced by Renault. This tiny car needs to have a driver license even if it speeds at 45 kph (increased at 80 kph after). Fun facts, I drove one of these and it my first experience in electric cars. It is a kart with a body kit and it is a lot of fun. The door panel opens down to up and it feels like you own a very tiny Lamborghini.

N°4: BMW Isetta (1955-1962) or ISO Isetta

Can we consider that car as a car or a motorcycle? In my opinion, I think this a more a car than a motorcycle because it wears a body kit on it. Basically, the car was a three-wheeled car but the engineers had not think about the balance of the car and sometimes it could get upside down. Therefore engineers added a wheel on the back just next to the third wheel (which is placed under on the very center of the car). However the car was not came from BMW's idea, but it was in fact an Italian brand (ISO Motors) which was selling the plans to BMW because BMW was nearly in bankrupt. 

N°5 : Peel P50 (1962-1965) (2010- (electric engine)) (2011- (petrol engine))

This is the tiniest car produced in the world. It is produced on The Island of Manx and the car is so tiny than you can even drive in your house. (Don't do that please...) The car mesurement is: 1.39 m (lenght); 0.99 m (width); 59 kg (weight). The car appeared in one episode of a famous British TV show (Top Gear U.K.) where Jeremy Clarkson had driven the car in the B.B.C building this scene is mythical. The original car had no reverse gear so you had to go out the car to turn it up into the good way. 

My last suggestion here is the most expensive produced car in the world. Here is the top five of the most expensive cars in the world.

N°5: Bugatti Cientodieci (2022)

The Bugatti Cientodiedi celebrates the 110 birthday of the French brand and also it is a tribute to the Bugatti EB110. The model here is based on the Bugatti Chiron and in fact, it is a Chiron with a "special" livery on it because Bugatti have trouble to sell their cars. The car costs 8,000,000 Euro and only ten of them had been produced. They were all sold.

The Cientodieci is on the left and the EB-110 on the right

N°4: Rolls-Royce Sweptail (2017)

Rolls-Royce has always been exclusive cars for exclusive people. It represents the most luxurious company of automotive industry. The Sweptail is an unique model and it costs 11,600,000 Euro.

N°3: Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta

This car is another exclusive sport cars. Only three cars were produced on special demand. This model is the first model made by Pagani in 1999 replaced by the Huayara in 2011. However some particular models of the Zonda are still made occasionally for very rich people if you ask Pagani. This model costs 15,700,000 Euro.

N°2: Bugatti La Voiture Noire (2021) 

The Bugatti La Voiture Noire is also like the Cientodieci, it is another Chiron but it pay tributes to a Bugatti from the 1930's, a Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic painted in black where we do not know correctly the story behind because there were only three cars badged "Atlantic". For the majority, the car is lost but nobody knows where exactly. La Voiture Noire is a unique car and we also do not know the actual owner. This car costs 15,900,000 Euro.

N°1: Rolls-Royce Boat Tail (2021)

This is the most expensive produced car in the world. Only three cars had been produced and you have to be much more than very rich. As said earlier, Rolls-Royce is the flower of automotive industry. This car costs 26,000,000 Euro. 

I hope that you enjoy seen these car. Perhaps the last top five is untouchable but it always good to know them.

Combustion engine power - Principle of function

 To understand how recent cars work, you have to understand how an engine work.

What do engine need to work?

To be more technical, I will employ technical words from mecanical engineering that is primary to understand with explanations in order to be understandable. Also, I will explain graphics linked with engines.

Basically, an engine need air and fuel in the cylinder chamber to produce a mecanical energy to rotate the crankshaft helped by the pistons strokes and this movement makes engines work. The mix with fuel and air is called a chemical energy and it is transformed to become a mecanical energy by rotating the crankshaft. Then, this mecanical energy is distributed on the flywheel engine which spins. Then, the clutch makes the transition between the engine and the gearbox. Finally, the gearbox transmits the rotation to the differential gear thanks to different height of gears and the wheels can spin in last.
 

This image is taken from a website and it is a free published image for free use. Introduction to the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Heat Engines and Their Efficiency · Physics (philschatz.com)

In an automobile, a four stroke engine has two parts:

- The cylinder head cover. (on the top part)

-  The bottom motor part (I cannot give a technical word here...)

Cars work with a cycle which is called "Otto cycle" that represent the function of an engine. Some says that it is called "Otto Cycle" and other says that it is called "Beau de Rochas' Cycle". Whatever the origin of where and who it came from, because it is the same schedule. This cycle is a theoric of an ideal combustion engine. In fact Beau de Rochas is the first one that demonstrates how the four stoke combustion engine works in a theorical way. Otto applied what Beau de Rochas did to confirm this thermodynamic theory, with also lot of friends who helped him, such as Gottlieb Daimler who is one of the founder of a famous automotive brand: Mercedes-Benz.  

You have four cycles in a combustion engine:

                                            1- Intake

The inlet valve opens to let the air (at atmospheric pression) in the cylinder chamber. The exhaust valve is shut. An injection of fuel is controlled electronically to inject the right amount of fuel. The air and the fuel take place in the cylinder chamber, the piston is in a first position that is called "TDC" (Top Dead Center) and it transfers down to be at the "BDC" (Bottom Dead Center).

                                            2- Compression

The inlet valve shuts to not let air go into the cylinder chamber, the exhaust valve is still closed. The piston transfers up to compress the amount of fuel and air into the cylinder chamber and it is placed at the "TDC".

                                            3- Power

The inlet valve and the exhaust valve are shut. Then the piston stays at the "TDC" point. The spark plug lit with an electric impulsion commanded electronically. As soon as the spark ignites, it makes an explosion of the mixture to create the working part of the engine. This is the most important part where the engine works and creates power in order to move the car forward.

                                            4- Exhaust 

The inlet valve is shut and the exhaust valve is opened to let go all residues that did not combust with air and fuel. The piston is at "BDC" to let maximum residues and these are pushed away thanks to the piston which goes up at "TDC". 

All these cycles are represented on a timing diagram which looks like a circular shape. However you need to know how to read this diagram. Otherwise you will be lost. By the way, all cars have not got the same pattern because it depends of the fuel injected in the engine. Here is just a picture representing how petrol engines work.

                                                        Otto cycle diagram

This image is taken from a website and it is a free published image for free use. Image Viewer - HomeworkLib

This image is taken from Wikimedia and was modified by myself. File:Valve timing 4T.png - Wikimedia Commons

The way of read the circular diagram is up to down and right to left from n°1 "Intake". 

As you can see, the first timing cycle "Intake" does not start on the top where it is wrote "TDC" (Top Dead Center). In fact, the inlet valve opens 15° before the piston reach the "TDC" to let air goes into the cylinder chamber. 

Then, the second timing cycle is not correct because the exhaust valve does not open when it came to this cycle. As you can see, it shows that the exhaust valve opens but it must not open, in that case the exhaust valve is closed and the inlet valve closes 80° after the second cycle began, in order to compress the mixture, the piston reach the "BDC"(Bottom Dead Center) before the inlet valve closes and the "compression" cycle starts before the piston stroke. The compression continues with both valves closed to arrive at around a 360° point and where the piston goes up again to reach "TDC". The crankshaft made a "half" cycle (360°) and also the camshaft made a "half" cycle (180°- is not represented on the diagram in general).

Now, we look at the third timing cycle "Power". Both valves are still closed and the ignition begins while the compression is made. Thanks to the spark plugs, they ignite the mixture and creates power in the cylinder chamber. The piston moves down to reach "BDC" point and it new position is 540°  .

Finally, we arrive to the final cycle "Exhaust". To explain that, the cycle begin before the piston arrives at "BDC" and the exhaust valve opens to let all residues which have not combust when ignition lit the mixture of fuel and air. Consequently, the piston goes up to reach "TDC" with the exhaust valve opened
with letting all these residues go to the exhaust part. Now, the crankshaft have made 720° and this is called a full cycle of a four stroke engine. However the exhaust valve closes 15° after the piston reaches "TDC" and the inlet valve is opened 15° before "TDC" to begin a next cycle.

I think I lost all my readers at this point, but REMEMBER THIS:

720° crankschaft rotation = a full cycle of the crankshaft = 360° camshaft rotation = a full cycle of the camshaft.

Videos:

                             go to 2:45 directly