Jump to content
Forums Gone... but not forgotten!
Pontiac of the Month

FBIRD69's 1969 Firebird

2024 March
of the Month

  • Rev up your passion for Pontiacs and join our vibrant community of enthusiasts!

    Whether you're a die-hard fan of classic muscle cars or you've got a soft spot for sleek modern models, you've found your home here at Forever Pontiac. Our community is dedicated to celebrating everything Pontiac, from the iconic GTO to the legendary Firebird and everything in between.

    Unlock access to expert advice, stunning photo galleries, engaging discussions, exclusive events, and more!

    Start your Pontiac journey with us today!

    Sign up now! 🏁

Car and Driver: Startup Company Creates Rotary Engine That Weighs Four Pounds [Video]


FeedBot

Recommended Posts

X-Engine-PLACEMENT
-Connecticut-based startup LiquidPiston announced today that it has built a compact engine powerful enough to drive a go-kart. The firm’s X Mini engine weighs just four pounds and has just three moving parts, yet it can produce 3 horsepower, enough to serve as a replacement for a roughly 40-pound piston engine that normally powers the subject go-kart.
-LiquidPiston says that its X Mini remains in a testing phase, and the company hopes to get the weight down to three pounds and the output up to 5 horsepower. (The 40-pound piston engine produces about 6.5 horsepower.) In the meantime, the little engine already packs a punch, as you can see in the video below.

-

-

LiquidPiston announced last year that it had received a $1 million DARPA grant to develop the X Mini engine, and now we see where the money went. The engine is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, yet it can power everything from vehicles to generators to drones. The X Mini uses LiquidPiston’s proprietary rotary engine design, which is said to offer thermodynamic improvements over both a traditional Wankel rotary engine and common piston engines.

-

LiquidPiston says the X Mini can run on Jet Propellant 8, the military’s fuel of choice, making it an ideal candidate for all sorts of military applications. For instance, the X Mini is small and light enough to power a UAV, it can be part of a generator that can be carried in a backpack, or it can even be used to power military robotics. According to Alec Shkolnik, LiquidPiston’s co-founder and president, “[DARPA] is kind of agnostic as to the actual application, as they have so many different applications that need power.”

-
--
-

Shkolnik said that the X Mini is still early in testing, and they have only just built their first working prototype, but he’s hopeful that the engine could see a commercial release sometime in the next few years. When that happens, the X Mini could find its way into lawnmowers, emergency generators, and small vehicles like mopeds.

-

This story originally appeared on Popular Mechanics.
-X-Engine-REEL

-k898sGLny3k

Read Full Article

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tired of these Ads? Register Today!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Tired of these Ads? Purchase Enhanced Membership today to remove them!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.