Hello, dear readers! Today I’m going to tell you about a fascinating engine that claims to be a “one-stroke” engine. Yes, you heard me right, one stroke. Not two, not four, but one. How is that possible, you ask? Well, let me explain.
The engine is called the INNengine e-Rex, and it was developed by a company in Spain called INNengine. It’s a four-cylinder, opposed-piston engine that has no cylinder head, no crankshaft, no camshaft, and no valves. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? But wait, there’s more.
The engine has eight pistons, two in each cylinder bank, that move back and forth on rollers that ride on a lobed circular plate. The plate can be adjusted to change the timing and compression ratio of the engine. The pistons compress the air-fuel mixture in the middle of the cylinder, where a spark plug ignites it. The combustion pushes the pistons apart and makes the plate rotate. The plate is connected to a shaft that delivers power to the wheels.
The engine has four combustion chambers, but each one fires twice per revolution. That means it has eight power strokes per revolution, which is four times more than a four-stroke engine and twice more than a two-stroke engine. That’s why the company calls it a “one-stroke” engine, because it has none of the emission issues of a two-stroke engine. There is no oil in the mix and pressurized lubricated areas are far from the combustion chamber.
The engine is very compact and lightweight, weighing only 85 pounds and measuring 19 inches long and 11 inches tall. It produces 120 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque from just half a liter of displacement. It also generates little or no vibration and passes emissions tests with flying colors.
The company says the engine can run on gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, or any other fuel. It can also be used as a primary drive motor or as a range extender for electric vehicles. The company has already installed one of these engines in a Mazda Miata, which must be a blast to drive.
So, what do you think of this weirdo “one-stroke” engine? Is it too good to be true? Is it the next big thing in mobility? Or is it just another gimmick that will fade away? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more awesome posts about engines and cars. Thanks for reading!
