If we eliminate lead we more than double spark plug life. When the spark plug misfires, it tremendously increases the amount of hydro-carbons that go out into the atmosphere....

The deposit effect alone of leaded deposits rather than non-leaded combustion chamber deposits is a factor of about 80 ppm out of about 300....

Alternate Power Sources

We have also considered alternate power plants, including fuel injection, stratified charge, gas turbines, the diesel. Wenkel engine, free piston, electric, battery, steam car, and so on. And in most of those instances we built the car....

The next slide (slide =6) shows one of these possibilities, the gas turbine. We have been working in the gas turbine area for over 20 years. We started when that gas turbine left the research laboratories as so-called GMRGT 309.

We intend during 1970 to offer a gas turbine. Our Detroit diesel engine division is going to build it. It will be intended for use as a heavy duty engine-a buses and trucks kind of operation to replace diesel. Because that is the kind of purpose that the gas turbine seems able to fulfill. The gas turbine has severe limitations.

Interestingly enough, the gas turbine on the automobile will not meet the 1975 proposed standards. The oxides of nitrogen levels are too high....

The next slide shows a steam car. This is one we put together. De had another steam car put together by a plant manufacturer of steam cars so we have this one plus that one and some other engines that we have worked with.

In this instance, with that engine, we had to lengthen the hood on the Grand Prix another 7 inches to get it in because of condenser problems-there are mechanical problems you've got to appreciate. You've got a real problem condensing the water in a steam engine. We've got an engine that weighs twice as much as the normal engine and has about half the power output.

Again, the steam engine does very well on hydro-carbon and carbon monoxide, but will not pass the oxides of nitrogen requirements for 1975....

The next slide shows an electric possibility. This is one we made in this instance in a Corvair and we made it into an electro-vair by putting in a bunch of silver zinc batteries. The engineering requirements was that it be able to operate in terms of performance as well as the gasoline powered car.

With that set-up the battery supply was adequate for around 40 miles. So we had a range problem. There needs to be breakthroughs in things like batteries. The weight of the car is half again as much as it is with the gasoline model. Obviously there needs to be some more breakthroughs in this area. These are all things that we should try and we continue to try and we continue to have people devoted to each of these engines to bring out the maximum potential.

We believe that we have done a very effective job of controlling the emissions for cars in the hands of the public.

Questions and Answers

Q. How does GM define low level pollution in terms of standards that have been prescribed? Are you approaching them? How soon can you meet them? Does your film imply that it will be 1980 or 1990, 1970 or when?

BOWDITCH: Again it is a matter of semantics as to what we mean by low pollution. What I showed is what has been actually going on this far-without any definitions either on our side or on the regulatory side. That's what's been going on. The whole amount of pollution in the atmosphere has been decreasing. All of the automotive pollution at least.

Now there is a question which the regulatory people must decide. They thus far appear to be reasonably satisfied as to where we stand. On that basis and with the kind of programs that we have here we think that we are responding to the requirements of the regulatory agencies and the government. Right now we have reduced pollutants 80 per cent from where we have started. What we are working on is the last 20 per cent in hydro-carbons. Now it depends on how much lower that should be at what ultimate price to the consumer.