For the past hundred years or so, internal combustion has ruled the road. But with EVs gradually stealing away the spotlight, it's easy to think gas-powered engines are on their way out. And while you could argue that this is true, there’s no denying that some brands are still driving ICE innovation.
Take Porsche, for example. The German automotive giant has been tinkering with a six-stroke engine to boost efficiency. Toyota’s all in on the sustainability game, too. They’re working on hydrogen combustion, and personally, I think Toyota has the biggest shot at future-proofing internal combustion.
That said, it isn’t just big auto that’s innovating around ICE. Independent researchers have come up with a clever way to make ICE-powered machines more efficient by turning wasted exhaust heat into electricity.
One of the biggest problems with internal combustion engines is that they're pretty damn wasteful. Around 75% of the energy they burn is lost as heat, either through the tailpipe or radiant heat from the engine. But a new thermoelectric generator (TEG) aims to address that. Mounted on the exhaust pipe, this device captures heat and converts it into electricity.
Developed by a research team and published in the science journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the prototype generated up to 56 watts of power at regular driving speeds and a fairly impressive 146 watts in high-speed applications like helicopters.
But how does it work? It uses a semiconductor made of bismuth-telluride to create electricity from temperature differences. Most similar systems need bulky water cooling, but this one relies on a finned heatsink that passively sheds heat using airflow—perfect for motorcycles and powersports where wind is pretty much always in play.
And while the team tested the tech on automobiles, it’s clear that it isn’t just for cars. Powersports vehicles like motorcycles, UTVs, and ATVs could benefit—perhaps even more. These machines have exposed exhausts that see plenty of airflow, meaning the system could work efficiently without added weight or complexity. Plus, they don’t get caught up in gridlock traffic as much as cars do.
But taking this tech a bit further into the future, I think hybrids could also get a boost. The electricity generated could trickle charge the battery, squeezing out a little extra range. It’s not a game-changer, but every bit of recovered energy helps.
At the end of the day, this is a smart way to make combustion engines more efficient, but let’s be real—it’s not going to bring ICE roaring back to dominance. The future is electric, and while innovations like this can stretch out the life of gas-powered machines, they won’t stop the shift toward EVs.
Still, for those of us who love motorcycles and off-road machines, any tech that makes ICE more efficient is worth a look. If this TEG tech finds its way into production, it could make our rides just a little bit more powerful and efficient. And that’s a win in our book.
