A high-tech aftermarket spark plug that its US manufacturer said can dramatically boost both automotive performance and fuel efficiency is on pipeline.

“Virtually all spark plugs today have 50 watts of peak discharge power,” said Enerpulse chief executive officer Daniel Parker. “What we’ve found out is that by putting a pulse circuit on top of a spark plug, we can increase spark plug output by [up to] 1 million [watts].”

And with Congress poised to crack down on the automotive industry with the biggest boost in fuel efficiency standards in two decades, US car companies are scrambling to do what they can to improve fuel economy after years of sating Americans’ appetites for gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles and trucks.

Aftermarket parts manufacturer Enerpulse seems to take the slow approach to tackling that problem. While Japanese automakers have advanced gas-electric hybrid cars and startups are working out the kinks of electric vehicles, the big American car companies are stuck with trying to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles with five-liter, six-cylinder engines, the sort of cars Americans seem to love.

Instead of coming up with an entirely new type of vehicle, Enerpulse wants to use its pulse circuit aftermarket spark plug to improve the fuel economy of conventional cars by 4 percent to 12 percent, Parker said.

“American companies have had to do some catching up,” Parker said. But “to increase fuel economy by half a percent or a percent is a monumental task in the automobile world. And it’s complicated by the fact that big SUV models are very popular among consumers.”

Enerpulse says its Pulstar aftermarket pulse plugs, launched in June, increase combustion efficiency by burning fuel more completely and at a faster rate. Ultimately, that means getting more energy out of the combustion process and higher performance on hills and such.

Other startups, such as Venrock-backed Transonic Combustion and Italy’s Nevis Engine Company, are also working to improve the efficiency of conventional cars, mainly their engines.

Prior to Pulstar, Enerpulse, which was founded in 1996 with angel money, sold about 100,000 units of a kit that came with a spark plug and pulse circuit, mainly for the aftermarket. But the package was complicated to install and took up too much space, according to Parker, who sees it as part of Enerpulse’s development phase.

In 2004, Altira invested $2.6 million in the company to fund the development of the Pulstar aftermarket spark plug, which is preassembled and is the size of a state-of-the-art aftermarket spark plug (about 3 inches long and a half-inch in diameter).

Working out the bugs took more than three years, even with the help of testers at Sandia National Laboratories. “You have to put an awful lot of technology in a very small package,” said Parker, who added that a European and an American car company have agreed to test the product on their vehicles.

Though the SUV and light truck market is Enerpulse’s long-term target, the Pulstar won’t likely go into new cars through OEM agreements and is likely to stay in the aftermarket segment of the automotive industry for at least another two years, Parker said. Early adopters are more likely to be drivers of sporty cars who want a little more zip.

How your car, minivan or SUV performs ultimately depends on the type of vehicle you drive and what it was designed for in the first place. However, new technology in premium aftermarket spark plugs allows drivers to extract the best performance their vehicles can offer without compromising fuel economy.

“From copper to platinum and iridium—modern spark plugs help motorists get a lot closer to experiencing the highest level of performance and fuel economy their vehicle is capable of producing,” said Reid Smith, product manager for spark plugs for Robert Bosch LLC, a leading supplier of premium spark plugs to vehicle manufacturers and the aftermarket and a pioneer in the development of spark plug technology.

Within a vehicle’s ignition system, the spark plug serves to ignite the air-fuel mixture which, in turn, produces the energy that moves a car. Over time and after thousands of miles, spark plugs may begin to show wear between the electrodes.

According to Smith, this wear increases stress on the ignition system and can prevent the spark plug from igniting the air-fuel mixture efficiently. When this happens, the car’s performance and gas mileage both decline.

The biggest waste of gas is an inefficient engine, commonly shown to the driver through an illuminated check engine light. Often, repair or replacement of malfunctioning car parts such as mass airflow sensors, oxygen sensors and others will frequently restore fuel efficiency. A properly operating ignition and emissions system can improve gas mileage by up to 40 percent.

“Fresh premium spark plugs help extract more energy from the same amount of gas,” said Smith. They improve the transfer of energy from the ignition system to the fuel, thus offering improved fuel efficiency and more power.

The Car Care Council, a consumer organization for motorists, said “a dirty spark causes misfiring; and inefficient combustion caused by worn spark plugs wastes fuel.”

To meet the growing demand for performance and efficiency, aftermarket automotive parts supplier Bosch has upgraded and expanded its entire line of premium spark plugs to suit every driver’s taste.

Bosch’s new technology-based Platinum Ir Fusion is the industry’s only aftermarket spark plug that combines iridium and platinum in a patented fused fine wire center electrode design, Smith said.

On-road testing by Bosch indicates that the reduced gap wear of the Bosch Platinum Ir Fusion lowers the voltage requirement on the ignition system, yielding better, more consistent performance and longer service life, Smith said. The Fusion is now available for virtually all domestic and imported vehicles.

A properly tuned engine can increase fuel efficiency from 4 percent to 20 percent, saving 26 cents a gallon. As part of a modern day tune-up, ignition and fuel systems should be inspected to improve performance and maintain the reliability of a vehicle.

According to the Car Care Council, a typical aftermarket spark plug fires as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced regularly.

Quantum International, manufacturer of high performance engines and drive trains for the original equipment and aftermarket auto parts industries, spearheaded this week the launching of Norsk hydrogen refueling station as part of Europe’s effort to build a “Hydrogen Highway” across the continent.

Lines of Toyota 2007 Prius took to the refueling station outside the company’s research center at Heroya, Porsgrunn, Norway. It was officially opened on June 12 by State Secretary Steinulf Tungesvik of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Norsk Hydro’s president Eivind Reiten.

The planned Hydrogen Highway between Oslo and Stavanger will cover a total of 580 kilometers of road. The Norwegian HyNor plan calls for five refueling stations along the main highway from Oslo to Stavanger, the center of the national petroleum industry that makes Norway the world’s third largest oil exporter, after Saudi Arabia and Russia.

By 2009, HyNor plans to have enough fueling stations along the 580 km route to allow hydrogen-powered vehicles to routinely make the trip. The ultimate goal is to extend the hydrogen infrastructure network through much of Scandinavia under the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership, a joint organization formed by HyNor, Sweden’s HyFuture, and Denmark’s Hydrogen Link earlier this year.

“We are excited to participate with Miljobil Grenland, Norsk Hydro, Statoil, and the Norwegian government in building the foundation for one of the most progressive public-private hydrogen partnerships in the world,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president of Quantum International. “Quantum’s hydrogen hybrid Priuses are generating increasing interest from around the world as clean, fuel-efficient alternatives to petroleum-fueled vehicles.”

“Based on the enthusiastic reception we received at the grand opening of the Norsk Hydro hydrogen station, we believe that opportunities will continue to grow for Quantum’s hydrogen hybrid Priuses throughout Europe and North America,” the Quantum president added.

Europe’s planned shift to hydrogen fuel cells came on the heels of a poll done by CarGurus.com, a US-based automotive community site, which revealed that a majority of the more than 500 respondents, or 80 percent, have no plans to buy a hybrid vehicle as their next car despite rising gas prices and a growing interest in curbing the emission of gases that contribute to global climate change. Hybrids cut emissions and gas use by using a fuel cell, like hydrogen, at slow speeds.

“Taking these results with the results of another survey we did in January, which showed the top two reasons car shoppers have for buying a new cars is better performance and better gas mileage, I think the concern here about hybrids is they don’t deliver on performance,” said Langley Steinert, CEO of CarGurus.com.

Hybrid cars do deliver better gas mileage. The 2007 Toyota Prius gets a combined city and highway gas mileage of 70 km per gallon, according to the US Department of Energy. That is far higher than the 35 kpg average fuel efficiency for other vehicles in the midsize car segment. But the 2007 Prius goes from 0 to 80 kph in a sluggish 10.1 seconds and achieves a top speed of only 130 kph, which could leave many new-car buyers cold, Steinert said.

There may be other road blocks for hybrid sales, which have wobbled since August. These include a decline in gas prices late last year and the fact that Toyota has run up against a federal limit for tax credits that have helped drive sales of the gas-friendly sedan. Another reason is recently revised fuel mileage standards from the Environmental Protection Agency that are designed to more accurately reflect how Americans drive their cars and will cut fuel economy estimates for cars like the Prius by an average 8 to 12 percent beginning this year.

Exhaust systems are typically one of the first things to be upgraded on a Mustang. The sound of an exhaust system can transform the image of a car from a quiet and simple daily driver to a mean muscle car that sets off car alarms as it drives down the street.

For most Mustang owners, the optimal exhaust system lies somewhere between the two. The performance aspect of replacing the stock exhaust system is also enticing, as a free-flowing exhaust can mean more horsepower and torque. Gibson, manufacturer of performance exhaust system based in Corona, California, recently launched a line of muscle car exhaust systems including one for the S197 Mustang GT.

Gibson performance exhaust was recently put to test opposite a 2007 Mustang GT test car. The GT was fitted with a set of Gibson shorty headers, x-pipe crossover pipe without catalytic converters, tailpipes, and dual mufflers. The system is built from T-304 stainless steel and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Each component is completely bolt-on and requires no welding and includes all hardware necessary for installation. The headers and mufflers are 50 state smog legal, although the x-pipe is for “off road use only”. One will need to keep the stock crossover pipe with catalytic converters if passing an emissions test is a consideration.

Gibson put particular effort into developing their Superflow CFT Performance mufflers. The design utilizes chambers, baffles, and louvers to provide for optimal air flow, particularly in the low and mid range where it is most usable. Gibson’s tests show approximately a twenty percent increase in air flow, improving from 300 cfm to over 360 cfm. The system also provides a more aggressive exhaust tone.

“On a V8 everybody wants that deep, throaty sound,” said Shawn Seidelman, Gibson’s head of research and development department. “That’s what we strive for here—that perfect sound. We did tests on the Mustang for a month and a half trying to get the right sound and the right power out of it.”

Gibson’s system does indeed improve exhaust efficiency. The dyno tests done on the test car before and after the installation showed a significant increase in both horsepower and torque across the entire rpm range. With the shorty headers, x-pipe, and mufflers installed, our Mustang GT netted an additional 20.9 horsepower and 26.1 lb-ft torque.

As for the sound, the system proved a much deeper and more aggressive tone, but stayed relatively quiet and unobtrusive at idle. The system’s high points include the quiet Mustang cabin while cruising and the aggressive sound during acceleration.

Overall, the Gibson system provided an excellent improvement in both power and sound. Pricing has yet to be announced, but Gibson officials said it will be competitively priced like other Gibson performance exhaust systems. Installation does not effect vehicle warranty. Exact specifications assure the installer and purchaser that all systems fit properly and yield programmed benefits.

Gibson has been in the aftermarket performance parts industry for close to 30 years. It offers one of the the most cost-effective performance-grade exhaust systems in the market and each Gibson assembly is emission legal in all 50 states.

Goodyear is hitting the trail with a “self-healing” carbon-loaded drive belt that can reduce the possibility of a long walk home. The Goodyear Gatorback Sport is the first Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) belt with carbon fiber reinforcement in its body construction, according to Loren Danhauer, Goodyear chief belt engineer.

“Threadlike strands of carbon fiber are strong and flexible and weigh much less than steel of similar strength,” said Danhauer. “The fiber alignment in the rubber compound provides added stiffness across the width of the belt.”

Jonathan Cocco, marketing manager for Goodyear aftermarket products, said a Goodyear survey of quad riders shows they want precise, immediate throttle response and off-road durability whether for hunters, ranchers, fire rescue teams or sport enthusiasts.

A CVT system varies the working ratio of two v-shaped pulleys linked by the belt, said Cocco. The distance between pulley flanges can fluctuate, allowing the belt to ride smoothly up or down the pulley, continuously changing the gear ratio and varying vehicle speeds.

The pulleys are part of a power sensing drive that increases tension during acceleration and lowers tension when power is reduced. Danhauer explained that conventional CVT belt sidewalls can glaze and char from heat build up when engaged with pulleys under extreme loads. Materials from the top width of the belt then turn down and inward, creating vibrations that can quickly destroy the belt.

“Gatorback Sport regulates itself under extreme events,” said Danhauer. “Its carbon fiber in the rubber compound allows desired edge slippage without losing top width. When extreme demand subsides, the belt self-heals and again picks up the load.”

Danhauer added that tests he conducted show significantly improved top width wear and reduced belt weight loss. Cocco said Gatorback Sport is responsive and durable. “Its aggressive carbon fiber material maintains pulley grip without sacrificing belt wear,” he said. “It provides quick, clean throttle response to help riders conquer steep hills and nasty mud pits, while withstanding inadvertent abuse, such as spin-and-runs.”

Gatorback Sport’s performance was born from race technology introduced last year. Hendrick Motorsports and eventual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmy Johnson turned to Goodyear for help after making mid-season engine adjustments for added horsepower that increased demand on cam drive belts by 50 percent.

Goodyear quickly responded by mixing carbon fiber reinforcement in rubber compounds for the new timing belt. The result was an advanced composite that withstood the increased loads and higher temperatures, allowed engines to run more efficiently, and provided precision timing in every harsh environment.

“Buoyed by our success with carbon fiber, we went to work on the CVT belt for all-terrain vehicles,” said Cocco. “Its performance earns it the Gatorback name, joining a growing family of popular Gatorback automotive belts that are used by all major NASCAR Cup Series teams and are available in auto part stores and service centers.”

While Gatorback Sport’s lateral strength comes from carbon fiber, its longitudinal strength comes from Goodyear Flexten aramid cords traveling the circumference of the belt. Flexten minimizes stretch, stabilizes overall length and maximizes horsepower transmission.

“It adds up to predictable tension performance,” said Danhauer, “and tension is as important to belts as air pressure is to tires.”

Engineers also took care when designing belt dimensions, precisely duplicating most major manufacturers’ original equipment profiles and measurements for top width, length and sidewalls to ensure proper fits. Gatorback Sport’s top width range is 17 to 35 millimeters or 0.68 to 1.37 inches, while its length range is 679 to 1106 mm or 26.75 to 43.56 inches.

IRVINE, California—Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. is set to develop the diesel hybrid electric version of its Alternative Mobility Vehicle (AMV) Aggressor. Its client: The US Army. The program is a follow up on Quantum’s successful Aggressor vehicle, a high-performance light-duty off-road fuel cell hybrid vehicle developed for the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and the National Automotive Center. The project has a total value of $4.88 million.

The objective of the program is to develop a second-generation high-performance light-duty off-road hybrid electric vehicle platform based on the results of and feedback from the US Army’s testing and evaluation of the Aggressor. The first prototype of the Aggressor, built in 2004, never made it beyond military testing and evaluation. The propulsion system for this next phase of AMV development will focus on a JP 8 fuel-compatible diesel internal combustion engine based, battery dominant, series hybrid electric system, which would provide a cost-effective, near-term solution as fuel cell technology matures. Preproduction prototypes will be developed and built for testing and evaluation by selected commands to assess mission suitability, supportability, performance objectives, and guidance on final vehicle configuration.

“We believe that the AMV program offers an innovative solution as a long-range reconnaissance vehicle that fills a technology gap for the US Army in its national defense efforts while reducing its fuel logistic burden,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president and CEO of Quantum. “The vehicle’s silent watch capability, high performance acceleration, extended range, and exportable power provide significant advantages for the US Army in communications, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance missions. We believe that this vehicle and Quantum’s innovative hybrid drive train will also be very well-suited for other commercial applications, including homeland security, border patrol, park service operations, and light-duty automobiles.”

A wider, 66″ body design makes room for performance-grade acceleration— at least as far as military vehicles go—with the second-generation Aggressor set to rev from 0 to 40 mph in four seconds and top out at 80 mph. But speed is not the main attraction here. Stealth is. The Aggressor design provides battery-only operations, allowing it to switch into “silent mode” with a reduced thermal signature. Combine that with extended range and exportable power, the Aggressor is set to become the first tough-to-detect AMV for missions involving communications, surveillance and targeting.

The contract will be administered by Alion Science and Technology Corp., based in Alexandria, Virginia. Alion will provide project management oversight in support of this effort for the US Army. Quantum, a fully integrated alternative energy company, is a leader in power train engineering, system integration and manufacturing of packaged fuel systems and accessories for specialty vehicles and applications including fuel cells, hybrids, alternative fuels, hydrogen refueling, new body styles, mid-cycle vehicle product enhancements and high performance engines and drive trains for OEMs and consumers of aftermarket parts and accessories.

The company has product commercialization alliances with General Motors, AM General and Sumitomo, while its customer base includes Toyota, Opel, Hyundai, Suzuki, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, SunLine, Yamaha, AeroVironment, and the US Army.