Introduction to engines and fuels for future transport

Global transport is almost entirely powered by internal combustion engines (ICEs) and petroleum-derived liquid fuels. Currently, there are many efforts to move transport away from this energy system to reduce its carbon footprint. In addition, tailpipe emissions from ICEs have to meet increasingly stringent standards. However, all the alternatives, such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), start from a very low base and face very serious barriers to unlimited and fast expansion and cannot completely displace ICEs for several decades to come. Hence it is also important to continue to improve ICEs to ensure the sustainability of transport. This volume considers some of these approaches, sustainable fuels, and methodologies like life cycle analysis (LCA) needed to assess the true impact of alternative approaches to power transport. This first chapter provides brief descriptions of the fourteen chapters that follow.