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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.
The wheel integrates an electric motor.
(Credit: CNET)
This wheel has a motor and suspension components.
(Credit: CNET)If new Michelin technology takes off, our cars could get very simple while wheels get more complex. Michelin showed two versions of its Active wheel at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show, one with an integrated electric motor and the other with motor and suspension equipment. Tire maker and restaurant critic Michelin has been developing lightweight automotive motors, achieving an efficiency of 4 kilowatts per kilogram. The motor in its Active wheel produces 30 kilowatts of continuous power, and up to 60 kilowatts of peak power. Two of those wheels on a car would add up to the equivalent of 80 horsepower. Four and its up to 160 horsepower. The motors also contribute braking power. The integrated suspension technology is active, and can respond intelligently to body roll and pitch, with 145 millimeters of travel.
A car equipped with these wheels could do away with its own drivetrain and suspension equipment, and would merely need steering gear and batteries. Of course, the price of custom wheels would increase drastically.
BALOCCO, Italy -- Chrysler Group may incorporate Fiat's new MultiAir fuel-saving technology in some gasoline engines, Fiat sources say.
Fiat S.p.A. considers the variable valve timing system a breakthrough. The company says MultiAir improves power by about 10 percent and reduces fuel consumption 10 percent.
MultiAir's electrohydraulic command of intake valves increases fuel economy.
(Credit: Automotive News/Fiat)The MultiAir system provides direct control of air and combustion in engines, cylinder by cylinder and stroke by stroke, without using the conventional throttle. That saves energy wasted in traditional systems.
Fiat will offer its first MultiAir engine in Europe this month on the Alfa Romeo MiTo small hatchback.
The sources say Chrysler is considering MultiAir technology for these engines:
-- 2.0- and 2.4-liter four-cylinder units produced by the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, which Chrysler operates with Hyundai and Mitsubishi. The engines are used in the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber and Avenger and Jeep Compass and Patriot. MultiAir units could arrive in late 2011.
-- The Pentastar V-6 engine family now under development. The 3.6-liter Pentastar family will replace seven Chrysler engines. The new V-6 will debut next spring on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. MultiAir could be added in the second half of 2012.
(Source: Automotive News)
McLaren claims that every aspect of the the MP4-12C's design is there to make the car go faster.
(Credit: McLaren Automobiles)McLaren has released photos and details of the McLaren MP4-12C, the automaker's first supercar since the iconic McLaren F1 was launched 17 years ago, not counting the models built in partnership with other automakers.
The McLaren MP4-12C (or just 12C for short) is an all-new model from McLaren with "no carryover parts from any other car." In plain English, that means there are no Mercedes-Benz components, contrary to early rumors. What the 12C does have is a laundry list of interesting performance technologies, including an innovative Pre-Cog shifter tech that we think will breathe new life into dual-clutch, automated, manual transmissions.
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