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Fuel-efficiency formula needs cars wired with better brainpower, less vroom

A University of Michigan researcher says it?s possible to triple fuel economy in gasoline-powered cars by 2035, but it?ll mean getting our automotive kicks from smart electronic technology and other forms of virtual performance rather than horsepower.As federal regulators are poised to propose the next round of fuel economy mandates, John DeCicco, a senior lecturer at the School of Natural Resources and Environment and faculty fellow with the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute, says the most cost-effective answer is steady progress in advanced combustion engines and hybrid drive---but stopping short of plugging in and requiring super batteries or gaseous fuels.He finds that the solution is in our garages if Americans shift gears in terms of priorities. What DeCicco calls a ?revolution by evolution? avoids politically trendy breakthrough technologies that will remain too expensive for most consumers.?If we really prioritize efficiency, we can get just as far with less sticker shock,? he said. ?Evolutio

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