We read about a modern application of something like this transmission concept a while back, but can't remember where. Back in the 1970s, Portland, OR's Vincent Carman invented a transmission that uses an accumulator pump to pressurize hydraulic fluid. When the car gets under way, the pressurized fluid spins a turbine that turns the drive wheels and eventually spools up the internal-combustion engine. The upshot? Claims of double the fuel economy. Of course, the story is rife with intrigue: Carman said the government was trying to bury his invention, while the Postal Service claimed to want a fleet of vehicles equipped with them. Conspiracy? Lackluster idea? Or is it something more diabolical...
-Davey G. Johnson
[UPDATE: Intrepid reader Aaron jogged our memory by writing, "You had said that you had heard about a similar concept recently. Possibly the Hydraulic Launch Assist program on the Ford Tonka concept at the 2002 NAIAS." Bingo! That was it! Bless you, Aaron, for clearing our foggy brain.]
Can This Transmission Really Double Your Car's Mileage? [Mother Earth News via Treehugger]
Related:
Two Out of Three Americans See Buying Fuel-Efficient Vehicle as 'Patriotic,' Group Says [Internal]