In the 35 MPG Future, Which Cars Make the Cut?

Now that the Obama administration is reconsidering California's plan to increase the fuel economy of cars sold in the Golden State and 13 others to 35 miles per gallon by 2016, we wondered how close the automakers are to getting there.

Not necessarily.

Several automakers are working on a technology called homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI), which promises just over 20% improvement in fuel economy compared a conventional gasoline engine of the same displacement. They've all said HCCI engines could enter production by 2011.

Take for example the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta, which will probably get 32 mpg city/40 mpg highway (EPA 2008 test) for the five-door hatchback based the 1.6-liter Sigma engine with variable valve timing and Ford's new Powershift six-speed dual-clutch transmission. When the HCCI version of the same engine becomes available we maybe talking 38 mpg city/48 mpg highway (EPA 2008 test), which is diesel-like fuel economy without the diesel emission headaches!

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