This article first gives a brief review of thermal engines designed for terrestrial transportation since the 1900s. We then outline the main developments in the state of the art and knowledge about internal combustion engines, focusing on the increasingly stringent pollution constraints imposed since the 1990s. The general concept of high-energy performance machines is analyzed from the energy, exergy, and public health point of view and illustrated with typical examples of clean energy production and zero emissions. Whereas the energy analysis revealed high potential of waste heat recovery from both exhaust and cooling system, the exergetic analysis revealed much higher recovery potential from exhaust gases. The exergy content of exhaust gases was observed to be within the range from 10.4% to 20.2% of the fuel energy. The cooling exergy is within the range from 1.2% to 3.4% of the fuel energy. The article concludes with some perspectives for the emergence of an economic model that could be applied to land-based transport systems in the framework of energy transition by 2030. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.