Drivetrain tech

Mazda says new engines will match hybrids in mpg

BERLIN--Mazda says it expects hybrid-like fuel economy from vehicles powered by new Sky direct-injection gasoline and diesel engines scheduled to arrive in the United States starting next year.

The Sky engines and Sky-Drive automatic and manual transmissions are the centerpiece of Mazda's aim to raise the fuel efficiency of its U.S. lineup 30 percent from 2008 to 2015.

For example, the next Mazda3, due in about 2015, would get an estimated 40 mpg on the highway with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder Sky-G engine teamed with a Sky-Drive six-speed automatic, says Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Mazda's head of product planning … Read more

GM exploring new engines to power the Volt

It's not even in showrooms yet and GM is already looking for ways to improve the Volt.

The extended range plug-in vehicle will make its market debut equipped with GM's fuel-sipping 1.4-liter engine that has been optimized to work with the Volt's battery and electric motor. GM didn't have time to develop a new powerplant specifically for the Volt, so it tuned its existing 1.4-liter engine to operate within a narrow band, typically around 1,800 rpm, to deliver adequate power to car's battery while keeping fuel consumption low.

It got the job … Read more

VW 1.4L engine wins another award, still not available in U.S.

Proving size doesn't matter, VW won overall "Best Engine of the Year" for its 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger engine. Again.

It's the second year in a row that the "little engine that could" won this award at the International Engine of the Year Awards 2010. This fun-size engine combines a turbocharger and supercharger in one compact unit and, using direct fuel injection, manages to squeeze out 178 hp with astonishingly little displacement.

Powering the European Union versions of the Eos, Golf, and Tiguan, the 1.4-liter engine delivers impressive fuel economy gains over its … Read more

Chrysler to build new eight-speed transmission

Chrysler announced plans to invest $300 million to modernize two plants that will build its new fuel-efficient eight-speed transmission.

While Chrysler would not confirm in which vehicles the transmission will be used, the online chatter is that the new technology will be used in Chrysler's trucks and SRT vehicles. However, Chrysler spokesperson Nick Cappa commented that, "It can be used in a lot more vehicles than that."

Cappa would not say if the eight-speed will be used in any Fiat-branded vehicles.

Chrysler will license the technology from ZF, a German automotive parts manufacturer. The carmaker's facility … Read more

Lotus tests a two-stroke engine

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 … Read more

Hyundai increases power, fuel economy with direct injection

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 … Read more

Hybrid Humvee coming up over the horizon

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 … Read more

BorgWarner partners with 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan

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, … Read more

Lotus designs an engine for hybrids

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.

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 … Read more

Lotus' latest can race, too

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.

Lotus had its Evora endurance racer on display at the Frankfurt auto show. Externally, the car shows few modifications from a … Read more