Homogeneously charged compression ignition is a promising combustion process that is proven to increase combustion efficiency and decrease exhaust emissions when compared to Otto or Diesel engine efficiencies and emissions. The HCCI process can be considered an advancement on the path to sustainability. However, improper control of the start of combustion causes the efficiency of the engine to drop significantly. The reason for this efficiency drop is that an early start of combustion causes the piston on the upward stroke to experience increased cylinder pressure after the combustion process is complete. The piston must further compress the cylinder content until it reaches the top dead center. During this process, the piston still experiences an increased gas force on the way towards TDC, having to invest extra disadvantageous work into the compression stroke, causing a negative work area in the pressure–volume diagram of the engine. The present study introduces the negative work area in the p-V diagram of an HCCI engine. It describes the phenomenon and explores the reasons behind it. It also investigates some of the factors affecting the negative work area in the p-V diagram.