How to calculate the displacement of a car
In the automotive field, displacement is an important parameter, which is directly related to the engine's power performance and fuel economy. Many consumers pay attention to the displacement when buying a car, but how is the displacement calculated? This article will introduce the calculation method of displacement in detail, and combine it with the hot topics on the entire network in the past 10 days to help everyone better understand this concept.
1. What is displacement?

Displacement refers to the sum of the working volumes of all cylinders in the engine, usually measured in liters (L) or milliliters (cc). The size of the displacement reflects the engine's "appetite", that is, how much air and fuel mixture it can take in each cycle, thus affecting power output.
2. Displacement calculation formula
The calculation formula for displacement is as follows:
| parameters | meaning | unit |
|---|---|---|
| Cylinder diameter (D) | cylinder diameter | Millimeters (mm) |
| Piston stroke (S) | Distance from top dead center to bottom dead center of piston | Millimeters (mm) |
| Number of cylinders (N) | Number of cylinders in the engine | a |
The calculation formula for displacement (V) is:
V = π × (D/2)² × S × N
Among them, π is pi (about 3.1416), D is the cylinder diameter, S is the piston stroke, and N is the number of cylinders. The final result is usually converted to liters (L) or milliliters (cc).
3. Classification of displacement
According to the size of the displacement, engines can be divided into the following categories:
| Displacement range | Engine type | Common car models |
|---|---|---|
| Below 1.0L | micro engine | Mini cars, electric cars |
| 1.0L-1.6L | small displacement engine | Family cars (such as Toyota Corolla) |
| 1.6L-2.5L | medium displacement engine | SUV (such as Honda CR-V) |
| 2.5L or more | large displacement engine | Luxury cars, performance cars (such as BMW 5 Series) |
4. The relationship between displacement, power and fuel consumption
The larger the displacement, the more powerful the engine is usually, but the fuel consumption will also be higher. In recent years, with the tightening of environmental protection policies, small-displacement turbocharged engines (such as 1.5T, 2.0T) have become the mainstream of the market, taking into account both power and fuel economy.
5. Hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days: Do new energy vehicles still need to pay attention to their emissions?
With the popularity of new energy vehicles, especially the rise of pure electric vehicles (EVs), the concept of displacement is gradually replaced by "motor power" and "battery capacity". However, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and extended-range electric vehicles (EREV) still retain engines, and displacement is still an important parameter.
Popular discussions recently include:
6. Summary
Displacement is an important indicator of engine performance and is calculated based on cylinder diameter, piston stroke and number of cylinders. Although the rise of new energy vehicles has changed the traditional meaning of displacement, in the field of fuel vehicles and hybrid vehicles, displacement is still a key parameter that needs to be paid attention to when purchasing a car. I hope this article can help everyone better understand the calculation and practical significance of displacement.
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