Plastic engines are real enough to find a place under the hood

For all the lengths automakers go to reduce the weight of a vehicle, one component is often left untouched, the engine. And it looks like they could have massive weight savings by using plastic engines to power cars. Matti Holtzberg, an engineer and..

For all the lengths automakers go to reduce the weight of a vehicle, one component is often left untouched, the engine. And it looks like they could have massive weight savings by using plastic engines to power cars. Matti Holtzberg, an engineer and president of Polimotor Research has been working on plastic engines for nearly three decades now, and the company’s plastic engines do appear to be working well.



Some of his engines have shown very impressive results, and one of the engines, based on the 415 pound, 88hp Ford Pinto actually came out with unbelievable, typo-like result of 300hp output with just 152 pounds of weight. And with results like that, it is surprising that most automakers haven’t shown much of an interest in the engine. Polimotor has recently joined hands with Huntsman Corporation to bring plastic engines to mass production. And if those performance numbers are real, these engines definitely deserve to be mass produced.

Via: NYTimes/ TheKneeslider/ AutoblogGreen

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Original source : http://www.automotto.org/entry/plastic-engines-are...