This development engine doesn't need spark plugs or a head gasket.
(Credit: Lotus)Last year, Lotus announced the development of its Omnivore engine, the name denoting flex-fuel capability. Today Lotus released test results for the engine, along with the kind of detail on how it operates only an engineer could love. These test results cover the first phase of testing the Omnivore engine with gasoline. Presumably, testing with fuels derived from alcohol and other sources are in the next phases.
In Lotus' lab, the Omnivore engine brought in 10 percent better fuel economy than current direct-injection engines, which are the most efficient on the market.
Similar to the generator engine built for hybrids Lotus announced last September, the Omnivore engine is a monoblock design, with the head cast as part of the engine block. Pushing the engineering envelope even further, the Omnivore uses homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI), meaning that instead of igniting its fuel charge with a spark plug, the compression of the cylinder causes the charge to ignite, similar to a diesel engine. Lotus managed to get HCCI working at engine speeds below 2,000 rpm and in cold start conditions.
Omnivore also uses a two-stroke, rather than a four-stroke cycle, but it still manages to turn in emission levels equivalent to modern production engines.
Part of the engine's efficiency comes with its variable compression mechanism, what Lotus calls a puck at the top of the cylinder that dynamically changes the displacement depending on running conditions.
Omnivore is currently being run as a research engine at Lotus, with no automotive application. As such, it is a single-cylinder, 500 cc engine, making any guesses to actual fuel economy speculative.
The 2011 Mustang's new engine is designed to compete with the V-6 Camaro.
(Credit: Ford)
Mustang fans have been nagging Ford Motors for a better V-6 engine in the base model of the long-running pony car--one with more horsepower and less hoarse power.
Next spring they'll get it when the old 4.0-liter V-6 is replaced by a 3.7-liter, 305 horsepower, 24-valve V- 6 with double overhead cams. It's the Mustang's first high-performance six-cylinder engine.
The old, rough, 210-hp V-6--which has been built in various displacements since the late 1960s--couldn't compete with the 3.6-liter V-6 in the new Chevrolet Camaro.
The base version of the 2011 Ford Mustang, due in the spring, noses ahead of the 2010 Camaro V-6--but not by much. The Mustang has one more horsepower and one more highway mile per gallon than the Camaro.
The 3.7-liter engine in the base 2011 Mustang is also being used in several front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive Lincolns. The Mustang is the first rear-wheel-drive application.
To boost horsepower, the intake areas of the engine's heads were ported and polished to increase the volume of the air-fuel mixture. The valve tappets were polished to reduce friction. A new intake manifold improves engine breathing. The changes helped raise horsepower from 273 in the Lincoln MKS to 305.
The Mustang also gets these upgrades:
- Two new six-speed transmissions, automatic and manual
- Stronger brakes and firmer suspension from the GT model
- A slightly revised interior with a new roof-storage system.
The updated engine includes such fuel-saving technology as variable valve timing and an advanced fuel injection system that cuts off the fuel supply when the car is decelerating.
The old engine was built in Cologne, Germany, and shipped to Flat Rock, Mich., where it was installed in the Mustang. The new engine is built in Ford's Cleveland, Ohio, plant.
Camaro sales have exceeded the Mustang's for six straight months. General Motors thinks the Camaro will outsell the Mustang for the entire year, although through October the Mustang still led, 56,469 to 47,233. The Camaro went on sale in April.
Ford plans to show the 2011 Mustang V-6 this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Upgrades are also in store for the Mustang GT that, according to Ford, it plans to introduce in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit
(Source: Automotive News)
BMW is considering selling a 1-series diesel, like this European spec 123d, in the U.S.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.--BMW will offer four-cylinder diesel engines in North America as it seeks to improve fuel efficiency and match the performance of its current six-cylinder gasoline engines.
BMW is considering diesels in a range of models, including its 1 series, 3 series and 5 series sedans and possibly the X3 crossover and Z4 roadster, said Tom Baloga, vice president of engineering for BMW of North America.
"You're going to see it in the 3 series, and the 5 series is a good possibility," Baloga said. "If the performance is sufficient in the X3, U.S. customers would likely accept it in the X5 as well."
Baloga did not disclose timing but said BMW will be ready to comply with emissions rules. Federal rules will regulate the amount of carbon dioxide per mile, based on an automaker's fleet average. The rules call for an average of 250 grams of C02 per mile by 2016, which equates to 35.5 mpg.
Baloga said BMW will seek diesel performance comparable to that of its current six-cylinder engines by using a turbocharged 2.0-liter model tuned for performance. In Europe BMW sells a 320d with a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel.
"Our four-cylinder diesel will be so good that people will readily accept it as a replacement for six cylinders," Baloga said. "With the weight reduction, performance could be similar to the turbocharged six-cylinder [gasoline engine] if we pushed very hard."
Baloga said BMW will aim for a substantial increase in its diesel sales mix in North America.
"If we hit 10 to 20 percent, we would be happy," he said.
In Europe, 70 percent of BMW's sales are diesels.
With exhaust treatment, BMW's diesels will meet California emission standards as well as federal tailpipe emission rules. Baloga didn't disclose what technology would be used--a diesel particulate filter or a selective catalytic reduction treatment with a refillable on-board urea tank as in the BMW 335d.
"The strategy for aftertreatment is to make it less expensive and less trouble," he said.
Unlike archrival Mercedes-Benz, which began selling diesels here in 1960, BMW waited until this year to introduce an ultraclean 50-state diesel engine. BMW's only prior U.S. diesel was the 524td, sold as a 1985 model.
BMW discontinued the model after selling 3,644 units in the United States. Demand fell off, and the reputation of diesels became tainted in the United States because of problems associated with diesels offered by General Motors in the 1980s.
Sales of the X5 xDrive35d and 335d, which are powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, six-cylinder in-line diesel, got off to a slow start. Diesels now represent 13 percent of total X5 sales but only 1.3 percent of 3-series sedan sales.
BMW launched a marketing campaign and offered a $4,500 rebate on both diesels during last summer's cash-for-clunkers program. The incentive continues through December. Through October, BMW sold 1,002 335d sedans and 2,706 X5 xDrive35d crossovers.
The 335d has an EPA rating of 23 mpg city/36 mpg highway--35 percent higher than the gasoline-engine model. The X5 xDrive35d is rated at 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway. BMW says the vehicle's performance is comparable to that of a gasoline V-8 engine but fuel economy is 37.5 percent better.
(Source: Automotive News)
DETROIT--BorgWarner forecasts about $1.8 billion in new powertrain business in the next three years as automakers revamp their engines and transmissions to meet stricter government mandates on emissions and fuel efficiency.
Analysts, who had expected the supplier's plan to take a sharper hit from the global recession, were surprised by the strength of the forecast.
The suburban Detroit company, which last month posted a third-quarter profit after four straight quarters in the red, said half of the new business would come from Europe, the main market for advanced gasoline and diesel engine technology. Asia will account for 30 percent of the new business and the Americas, 20 percent.
When it unveiled its three-year plan a year ago, BorgWarner said it expected to bring in $2.1 billion in new business from 2010 through 2012.
"The size of the drop is somewhat smaller than expected, given the decline in expected global light-vehicle production," David Leiker, an analyst with Robert W. Baird & Co., said in a research note. Last year's projection came in late October, "when the global financial crisis was still in its early stages," Leiker said.
North America soon should bring in more drivetrain and engine air management business, CEO Tim Manganello said last week during a conference call.
For instance, Chrysler Group does not account for any new business in BorgWarner's backlog of orders. That could change because Chrysler's future vehicles with smaller-displacement gasoline engines are to be powered with engines from Fiat S.p.A.
BorgWarner already supplies the control module for Fiat dry-clutch transmissions and turbochargers for diesel and gasoline engines. The supplier's contracts include turbochargers for Fiat's 1.8-liter gasoline engine, which Manganello said could power a number of Chrysler vehicles.
Manganello said he expects that by 2013 or 2014, North American car and truck production will return to rates seen in late 2007 and early 2008. Production then was around 3.5 million vehicles a quarter but has dropped to around 2.5 million now.
Dual-clutch transmissions make up about 13 percent of BorgWarner's 2010-12 backlog of orders. Manganello said he expects dual-clutch transmissions to occupy a larger share of sales in 2013 to 2015, noting a "very strong" development program with a Japanese carmaker for dual-clutch technology.
(Source: Automotive News)
Hyundai's new direct-injection engine delivers more power, better fuel economy.
(Credit: Hyundai)Even as we approach an age of efficient and emission-free electric cars, the internal combustion engine still shows room for improvement. Hyundai just announced its 2.4 Theta II GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine, the first instance of the automaker using direct injection with a gasoline engine.
Although there were some early adopters, automakers began replacing carburetors en masse with injection technology around 1990. But most cars today still rely on port injection, the version of this technology that was originally introduced. Direct injection squirts fuel directly into the cylinder, without going through an intake manifold first.
The advantage of direct injection is a more efficient engine. For example, Hyundai claims its 2.4 Theta II GDI gets 7 to 12 percent better torque than an equivalent port injection engine, while at the same time getting 10 percent better fuel economy. These efficiencies come due to a more complete fuel burn in the cylinder. The one disadvantage is that direct injection tends to be louder than port injection, but modern sound-deadening materials keep engine noise from being intrusive in the cabin.
Hyundai will first use the 2.4-liter four-cylinder direct-injection engine in the 2011 Sonata, which goes into production next year. The engine makes 198 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The current, port-injected 2.4-liter engine in the Sonata makes only 175 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque.
Hyundai follows on the heels of other automakers that have adopted direct injection, including Volkswagen, Audi, GM, and Ford.
A Humvee made by American General.
(Credit: AM General)Lithium-ion battery manufacturer EnerDel has signed an 18-month, $1.29 million contract with the U.S. Army to design and test hybrid battery options for the Humvee.
Trying to power the iconic fuel-guzzling High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV aka Humvee) with a battery, may seem like trying to put out a fire with a garden hose. But a lithium-ion battery system can deliver a lot of power from a battery quickly, giving a truck like the Humvee the thrust it requires.
EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, will collaborate with the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) on four possible power systems that could be implemented in the XM1124 version of the Humvee.
The company, which specializes in battery cell chemistry as well as the electronics and battery system designs, said it already has two viable options. EnerDel has developed a lithium-tatinate system in conjunction with Argonne National Laboratory that could accommodate the acceleration and hard braking required for such a powerful vehicle like the Humvee. It also has a lithium-manganese system that would give a vehicle extra-long range and allow electronics to be run off the battery for extended periods of time before needing to be recharged.
As part of the 18-month contract, EnerDel will also be involved in testing the systems under "extreme performance simulations." In addition to putting the test vehicles through the usual Humvee paces of wading through water and mountain climbing, there will also be an endurance test.
That will include seeing how a hybrid Humvee fares as a power plant for a field hospital or temporary military post. The requirement makes perfect sense given the ease with which a Humvee can be transported to hard-to-reach areas. One of its key features has always been that it could be dropped in to virtually any terrain by parachute.
A Humvee being parachuted out of a plane.
(Credit: AM General)The hybrid Humvee will also be more stealthy. Anyone who's had a close call with a Prius knows how dangerously silent hybrids can be in total battery mode. The hybrid version of the Humvee will have a powered-down "silent watch" mode that will allow it to run with its diesel generator off, reducing not only its noise, but also its thermal signature to avoid detection.
As always with major military project announcements, the company involved was quick to point out the down-the-road commercial application of its technology.
"In keeping with a long tradition, we also expect that innovations perfected here will have important benefits for the commercial markets," EnerDel President Rick Stanley said in a a statement.
There has already been interest in Raser Technologies' H3E, a plug-in hybrid version of a Hummer-branded SUV called the H3. While not truly a Hummer (the civilian version of the Humvee), the "Hummer-light" descendant has garnered the interest of even the most discerning Hummer enthusiasts.
So if EnerDel's batteries might be good enough to power a Hummvee, why haven't commercial automakers been knocking? They have actually. The company has signed research partnerships of varying commitment levels with Think Global, Fisker Automotive, Volvo, and Nissan. Its parent company, Ener1, is also working with U.S. utilities to develop smart grid storage units.
BorgWarner will supply engine and drive-train technologies to the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan midsize sedans.
The new mechanics will include an industry-first Cam Torque Actuated (CTA) variable cam timing (VCT) technology for the upgraded Ford Duratec 3.0-liter V-6 engine.
Unlike traditional cam phasing methods that typically use engine oil pressure to rotate the camshaft, BorgWarner's CTA technology captures the existing torsional energy in the valve train to accomplish this event, similar to a hydraulic ratchet. CTA cam phasers operate more quickly and under a wider range of engine speeds and temperatures than traditional oil-pressure-actuated cam phasers, allowing CTA variable cam timing to more efficiently improve fuel economy, increase horsepower and reduce emissions.
BorgWarner technologies includes a transmission solenoid module features proprietary closed-end variable bleed solenoids to minimize oil flow, reducing the energy needed to drive the oil pump. With high-energy friction materials and specific oil grooving, BorgWarner friction plates minimize drag losses, and the light-weight Morse TEC HY-VO transmission chain is more efficient than transfer gears, further enhancing fuel economy.
DETROIT--BorgWarner Inc. is providing friction materials and plates for the new ZF Friedrichshafen AG eight-speed automatic transmission, which debuts on the 2010 BMW 760i.
The friction material, produced at BorgWarner's plant in Heidelberg, Germany, reduces drag losses, thereby increasing fuel economy and performance, BorgWarner said.
BorgWarner, of suburban Detroit, makes engine air management systems, transmission assemblies, all-wheel-drive systems, and transmission parts. ZF, of Friedrichshafen, Germany, makes transmissions, steering systems, suspension components, axles, clutches, and dampers.
(Source: Automotive News)
From Lotus Engineering, the consulting arm of the automaker, comes a concept for an engine to be used as a range extender on series hybrid cars. The new design maximizes efficiency for an engine that will only function as a generator.
This three cylinder engine would work as a generator in series hybrid cars.
(Credit: Lotus)Series hybrid cars, such as the upcoming Chevy Volt, use electric motors to drive the wheels, with electricity sourced from a battery pack and generator. This type of car operates as a pure electric vehicle up to the maximum range afforded by its batteries, typically under 100 miles with current technology. To go further, an onboard generator produces electricity to drive the motors. Although some concepts have used fuel cells to generate this additional electricity, the first production series hybrid car will likely use a small gasoline engine.
Lotus points out that most engines proposed for series hybrid cars are existing car engines retuned for electricity generation. The Lotus engine has been designed from the ground-up for its purpose. The design was greatly simplified by casting the engine block, cylinder heads, and exhaust manifold as one piece, making production less costly and eliminating the need for some parts, such as the head gasket, which require regular maintenance.
The three cylinder engine displaces 1.2-liters and only uses two valves per cylinder, actuated by a belt-driven single overhead cam. The design includes a generator directly coupled to the engine. The engine can operate in two modes, with outputs of 15 kilowatts or 35 kilowatts. Lotus doesn't mention fuel consumption, a number that wouldn't be particularly relevant anyway without information what sort of car it would be mounted in.
The Lotus Evora, equipped for endurance racing.
(Credit: CNET)When Lotus launched its Evora last year, it seemed the company gave in to the need for a mass-market car. Unlike the Elise, the Evora has four seats. The cabin isn't stripped bare, but sports modern electronics. And the engine is a big--a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V-6. But lest we think this extra tonnage makes the Evora any less sporty than the Elise, Lotus intends to take a race-equipped Evora to the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race.
The Evora's brakes have been upgraded to six-piston calipers front and back.
(Credit: CNET)Lotus had its Evora endurance racer on display at the Frankfurt auto show. Externally, the car shows few modifications from a standard Evora, although its big carbon fiber wing stands out. Other aerodynamic components include a diffuser and splitter. For endurance racing, the Evora also gets a 31.7-gallon fuel tank, roll cage, and fire suppression system. But even with this extra equipment, Lotus engineers managed to shave 441 pounds off it versus a standard Evora, for a total weight of 2,646 pounds.
The Evora endurance racer retains the 3.5-liter V-6, although in this application it has been tuned up to 395 horsepower, which likely means a supercharger. The standard transmission has been replaced with a sequential six-speed paddle-shifted gearbox.
With its power-to-weight ratio, good aerodynamics, and Lotus-engineered handling, the Evora should prove itself a contender. But the tough nature of endurance racing will reveal any faults Lotus engineers might have overlooked.
