If the gas engine gets “power direct from fuel,” is it not more efficient than the steam engine?
That would he true if it always ran at its rated speed and power. But efficiency rapidly falls off if these depart from the narrow middle range. Even with the same fuel cost, and with constant speed, the advantage would be slight, and is secured at the expense of long life, reliability and convenience. Rut when you consider that kerosene is used in the Stanley, the efficiency per dollar is about two or two and a half to one in favor of the steam car.
