Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-19
MODERN CARS WASTING T00MUCAGAS;
FU7URECAASS|S AND ENGINE LIGHTER
MEANS SEVERAL RESULTANT ECONOMIES
When Fuel Consumption Can be
Out Two. Thirds by Reducing
Weight Whole Industry Will
Feel Effect of Change.

Those who have studied the fuel
problem and carburetion agree that the
modern car wastes far too much gaso-
line for the work it does. Carbure-
tor engineers have given us the best
designs they possibly can, the refiners
Of fuel are giving us the best fuel pos
sible under existing conditions. If one
gallon of gasoline now performs only
one third the work of which 1t is ca
pable, where is the two-thirds waste?
The answer is the cars of today are
too heavy Lighter cars will bring
about so marked reduction in gaso-
line consumption and SO many other
advantages in performance. increase
Of tire life and of car and road life.
that the entire industry is bound to
take up the light weight question and
carry it to its logical end. Cars of the
future will be SO much lighter that it
Will be the common occurrence to hear
of 80 miles per gallon of fuel. instead
of considering it as phenomenal per-
Torrance, as at present
LIGHT CAR, LIGHT ENGINE
That that can be done by reducing
the weight of the vehicles quite easy
to see. The greater the load to be
started and carried along on roads and
required, hence the more fuel the en-
CINE will consume. Reduce the weight
of the vehicle and even with the same
size engine you get a marked reduc-,
ton in fuel economy. However, with
the reduction in the weight of the
chassis there is no further need for the
larger engine in order to get the same
performance asssbefore. The engineer
recognizes this, for he knows the re-
suits he will get with given weight
per horsepower and with a given gear
ratio.
A few years ago test car was
driven over the roads of Long Island
and on one gallon of gasoline this car
travelled over so miles. While some of
this distance was no doubt travelled
by coasting the greater part of it was
done with the engine pulling. This
test car was stripped of body, tenders
and many other parts and was light
ened to the greatest degree. This
same car, while not giving so miles
per gallon in service, does give phe-
nomenal mileage solely because Of the
light weight of the vehicle.
HIGH MILEAGE IN EUROPE
II the reduction in weight brought
with 1t only a saving in gasoline a
great many owners would be entirely
satisfied. But the mere fact that the
car consumes less gasoline should be
an indication of other pleasing results
that go with 1t. 1t can readily be I'M
derstood that a light weight started
from a rest takes less effort than it
would to start heavy body. A baby
carriage can easily be started and
pushed around. II an engine were
fitted to 1t 1t would proba bly, give $50
miles per gallon. Motorcycles show
IS to 80 miles per gallon, the cycle
cars of few years ago showed any
where from % to 40 miles per gallon.
The heavier the vehicle becomes the
more gasoline Is needed to get it start
ed and the more 1t Is needed to keep
it going. Europe has recognized this
long ago and that Is why the Euro
pean owner is very much surprised
when he hears of such high fuel con-
sumption figures as 10 and Is miles
per gallon. He believes that 20 to 30
miles is about what should be had and
he is right.
i'll I IA