Fuel efficiency

Komatsu has introduced the HB365LC-3, a 36-tonne hydraulic hybrid excavator to the European market. Compared to its diesel-only counterpart, the PC360LC-11, the Komatsu Hybrid is 20 percent more fuel efficient.

Hot on the heels of Honda's hypermiling efforts in Europe, Volkswagen has traversed the lower 48 American states in a Golf TDI, using just 101.43 gallons of diesel along the way.

Honda has claimed a new Guinness World Record, for the "Lowest fuel consumption – all 24 contiguous EU countries (all cars)." Although that's a bit of a mouthful, it simply means that the carmaker achieved the highest fuel efficiency ever recorded while traversing all 24 adjoining EU countries.

Students from Canada have designed and built a car that is capable of achieving a fuel efficiency of 2,098 mpg (0.11 l/100km). The team from Quebec's Université Laval (University of Laval) was competing in the 36th SAE Supermileage competition.

BMW has turned to water injection technology in its ever-continuing quest for improved fuel economy and power. Its latest 1 Series prototype is fitted with such a system to help create lower combustion temperatures, which brings fuel economy benefits of up to 8 percent.

It might look like all the other Audis that have been launched in the past few years, but you're staring at the brand-new, totally redesigned A4. The new A4 takes advantage of autonomous driving tech and a lightweight construction to save fuel and improve performance.

Ordinarily, when a ship is heading into waves, those waves cause it to work harder. An experimental new setup known as a "whale tail," however, utilizes wave action to actually help ships move forward, allowing them to use less fuel when tackling rough seas.

The RAC and Audi have set a new Guinness World Record for the most countries driven through on a single tank of fuel. An unmodified Audi A6 TDI Ultra was driven through 14 countries in a journey that clocked up 1,158.9 miles (1,865.1 km) and took nearly 28 hours.

Today's efficient cars may help us to minimize fuel costs, but just how far can they take us on one tank? That's what RAC and Audi are finding out with their Record Road Trip. The Guinness World Record attempt to see how many countries can be visited on a single tank of fuel began this morning.

NASA has carried out testing of a series of non-stick coatings for aircraft wings, finding that one inspired by lotus leaves showed good potential to shrug off blasts of bug guts to lessen drag and, by extension, ease the consumption of fuel.

In its quest for greater fuel efficiency, Audi has developed a four-cylinder TFSI engine that makes use of a new combustion method, resulting in what Audi claims is the most efficient two-liter gasoline engine in its class.

Honda showed a new adventure bike at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show last week, adapting the CB500 into its most practical form yet. With a seat height of 730mm, lots of crash protection, 93 miles per gallon and Honda reliability, it is ideal transport for the 75 % of the world's population below 172 cm.