The need for fuel-efficient vehicles has always been a high global demand due to increased emissions regulations. The need for fuel-efficient vehicles has always been a high global demand due to increased emissions regulations. But are turbocharged engines the only future for great automotive power? Are naturally aspirated petrol engines degrading? Let us see what these both have in store for the future. Let’s compare naturally aspirated petrol engines vs turbocharged ones.
How do turbo-charged petrol engines and naturally aspirated petrol engines work?
Turbo engines or Turbochargers are small turbines that are powered by a combination of exhaust and fresh air which significantly increases the power of an engine by forcing more fresh air into the combustion chamber. This causes a boost inside the chamber and in turn provides more power to the engine. The main cause of this boost is the pressure exerted in the chamber that is more than atmospheric pressure.
Most engines these days are four-stroke engines and the process of producing power is a four-step process. In the first stroke, while the air gets filled in the chamber along with the fuel, the piston is pushed downwards called the Intake stroke. In the second stroke, the piston moves upwards thus compressing the mixture. By the third stroke, the mixture is ignited through combustion with the help of a spark plug, and the fourth stroke the exhaust gas is out of the chamber. This is how naturally aspirated petrol engines work as natural air is a part of this process.
Naturally Aspirated Vs Turbocharged: Advantages of each
Turbo-charged petrol engines enable more efficient turbines challenging the power and torque ratings of larger engines. And also now that the trend in the Indian automotive industry has rapidly changed due to the BS6 norms, car companies have started relying on installing a turbo on small petrol engines. Since all engines that generate power need to pump a specific amount of air in order to maintain the cruising speed, turbo engines are highly efficient than a normal conventional petrol engine.
On the other hand, naturally aspirated petrol engines are consistent in delivering power levels throughout the engine flow. Apart from this, naturally aspirated petrol engines are also highly reliable due to the fresh air inside the engine every time and have increased life expectancy compared to turbo-charged petrol engines. Also, these engines have no lag and ensure a steady rise in power, and with their incredible variable valve timing, it ensures high torque at low RPM and high power at high RPM without delay. Naturally aspirated petrol engines are also simpler to maintain and cost-efficient.
Although turbocharged petrol engines are shaping the conventional future of the automotive industry, naturally aspirated engines are preferred by traditional car manufacturers that refuse to change engines because of their popularity. But this choice of choosing the best comes by experience and the personal choice of the driver since both are in the spotlight currently. But since it is already predicted, turbo is the way of the future and hopefully continues to be until we shift on to electric means of driving.
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