The US Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding $59 million to 43 projects for new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies research. Funded through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these projects include solid-state batteries (15 projects) and power-dense electric motors (5 projects); co-optimized engine and fuel technologies (3... Read more →

Purdue University researchers are developing pre-chamber technology for automobiles to replace conventional spark plugs and enable more reliable ultra-lean combustion. In the pre-chamber approach, a tiny chamber—a pre-chamber—is filled with a mixture of fuel and air. The mixture ignites, producing combustion, and specialized nozzles in the bottom of the chamber... Read more →

Dearman and TIP Netherlands (NL) have entered into a partnership to deploy alongside their regular fleet of refrigerated trailers Dearman’s liquid nitrogen-powered transport refrigeration units (earlier post) trailers leased by TIP to leading fleet operators. The Dearman transport refrigeration system combines cryogenic refrigeration with a Dearman engine (earlier post) and... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is awarding $43.6 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Release 2 grants to projects that demonstrate commercial feasibility for innovations during the second phase of their research. Phase II awards range from $975,000... Read more →

The 2020 Hyundai Accent features a new Smartstream G1.6 Dual Port Injection (DPI) engine and a Smartstream Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). These changes increase Accent’s EPA estimated fuel economy to 33 mpg city, 41 highway, 36 combined, up considerably from the 28 city, 38 highway, 32 combined mpg rating with... Read more →

Researchers at Hunan University have investigated the effects of compression ratio (CR), EGR and spark timing strategies on performance, combustion and NOx emissions of a heavy-duty natural gas engine fueled with 99% methane content. A paper on their work is published in the journal Fuel. … natural gas … is... Read more →

Tests have demonstrated that a residential combined heat and power (CHP) engine developed as an Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)-backed venture through the Generators for Small Electrical and Thermal Systems (GENSETS) program (earlier post) offers at least a 20% improvement in efficiency over the current leading alternatives. The... Read more →

Audi’s sporty top model of the Q family, the SQ8 TDI SUV coupé, features a biturbo V8 TDI diesel that delivers 435 metric hp, 900 NN·mm (663.8 lb-ft) of torque, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.8 seconds. 4.0-liter V8 TDI Biturbo engine with electric powered... Read more →

Wärtsilä, Japanese ship builder Oshima Shipbuilding, and the classification society DNV GL have delivered the first results of their joint industry development project. At the recent Nor-Shipping exhibition held in Norway, the project partners announced a next-generation 62,000 dwt Ultramax Bulk Carrier design that is optimized according to actual operating... Read more →

Brunel University London is the first to begin researching future powertrain concepts using Camcon Automotive’s new Single Cylinder Intelligent Valve Technology (SCI). The system uses the company’s Intelligent Valve Technology (iVT) and is intended to speed up OEM and Tier 1 engine development significantly, helping meet upcoming emissions regulations while... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group has developed the first Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology to feature in future Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The innovation was revealed at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang on Wednesday alongside the Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi—the first engine to feature the technology. CVVD optimizes both engine performance and fuel efficiency... Read more →

Cummins Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, all the issued and outstanding shares of fuel-cell systems provider Hydrogenics Corporation for US$15.00 per share in cash, other than shares already owned by The Hydrogen Company, representing an enterprise value of approximately $290 million. Following... Read more →

Three years after embarking upon rigorous evaluation of a pool of more than 400 candidates (earlier post), researchers with the US Department of Energy (DOE) Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative have identified the six blendstocks—di-isobutylene, ethanol, fusel alcohol blend, isobutanol, isopropanol, and n-propanol—that exhibit the greatest potential to... Read more →

Saudi Aramco and its affiliates signed 12 agreements with major South Korean companies to reinforce relationships with South Korea, expand international operations, and support the region’s energy security with the expansion of Arabian crude oil supply to Asian markets. Among these agreements is a partnership with Hyundai Motor on hydrogen.... Read more →

In parallel with the advancing electrification of its fleet, Volkswagen Group and its brands continue to rely on CNG (compressed natural gas) as an alternative drive technology for decarbonizing road transport; Volkswagen Group[ has revised and expanded its product range again with this in mind. Volkswagen Group currently offers the... Read more →

In 2012, less than one percent of all cars and light-duty trucks were produced with a non-hybrid stop/start system. Through 2015, cars had the greatest share of stop/start systems installed. After 2015, the greatest share of start/stop systems was installed on light-duty trucks, rising to 35.7% of all light-duty trucks... Read more →

At the 2019 IAA Frankfurt in September, Tenneco’sPowertrain division will present its award-winning PRiME 3D simulation software which has been shown to cut development time for engine cylinder components by up to 70%. In an industry first, the software tool enables the generation of a physically realistic virtual model of... Read more →

The Mercedes-Benz OM 654q four-cylinder diesel from the modern OM 654 engine family already complies with the Stage 2 RDE (Real Driving Emissions) standard which does not come into force until 2020, and is certified to Euro 6d. With its near-engine installation, the emission control system has low heat losses... Read more →

The 2020 Ram 1500 will become the most powerful half-ton diesel pickup in the US, with 480 lb-ft (651 N·m) of torque, and the most capable light-duty diesel, with towing capability up to 12,560 pounds. The all-new third-generation 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel is also expected to lead the segment on fuel... Read more →

The Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association (MECA) released a report assessing market-ready technologies being commercialized by suppliers of emission control and efficiency components for heavy-duty diesel vehicles to meet lower intermediate standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by 2024 as a transition to final standards in 2027. The report presents... Read more →

Research led by Sandia National Laboratories has resulted in new insights about how to understand and ultimately to control the chemistry of ignition behavior and pollutant formation. The discovery eventually will lead to cleaner, more efficient internal combustion engines. The work, which focuses on the chemical science of low-pressure flame... Read more →

In response to the growing demand for more efficient and reliable marine propulsion that serves the needs of an increasingly environmentally sustainable industry, WinGD (Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd.) has introduced three new low-speed, two-stroke engines that are capable of operating on low emission fuels. Building on the proven WinGD... Read more →

With an output of up to 310 kW (421 hp), the completely newly developed Mercedes-AMG 2.0-liter M 139 engine is the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine in series production. With this engine, Mercedes-AMG has even exceeded the previously most powerful M 133 by 30 kW (41 hp). Maximum torque... Read more →

A new study finds that ethanol blends reduce particulate matter (PM) coming out of the tailpipe, which in turn reduces overall toxic emissions. The study was conducted by the University of California Riverside and the University of Wisconsin, Madison and commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative. It was published in... Read more →

Multiple NASA centers have partnered with Virgin Orbit to develop and to test a 3D printed combustion chamber. Virgin Orbit air launches rockets carrying small satellites to space. The company partnered with NASA experts in combustion and additive manufacturing (3D printing) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama;... Read more →

Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, working in collaboration with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Convergent Science Inc., have created a new numerical modeling tool that allows for a better understanding of rotating detonation engines that could one day propel the next generation of... Read more →

DENSO, with semi-conductor supplier Hitachi Power Semiconductor Device, Ltd., has developed a high-efficiency diode for alternators for gasoline and diesel engine vehicles. Production of alternators equipped with the newly developed diodes will start for vehicles to be sold in Europe in FY2019, and will be rolled out to manufacturing group... Read more →

In a study on the effect of exhaust particles from aircraft turbine engines on human lung cells, Swiss researchers have found that cells reacted most strongly to particles emitted during ground idling. The study also showed that the cytotoxic effect is only to some extent comparable to that of particles... Read more →

Pierburg GmbH based in Neuss (Germany), a subsidiary of technology group Rheinmetall, has received an order worth more than €90 million for its new variable valve control system UpValve. Production of the valve trains, which are also manufactured at the automotive supplier’s Neuss plant, will start in 2019. The start-up... Read more →

In a paper presented at the 2019 Vienna Motor Symposium this week, Delphi Technologies will unveil a new 500+ bar GDi system that can reduce particulate emissions by up to 50% compared to state-of-the-art 350 bar system without expensive engine design modifications. Delphi 500+ bar GDi pump Reducing the number... Read more →

MAN Engines—a business unit of MAN Truck & Bus, itself a member of the Volkswagen Group—is now offering 12-cylinder, IMO Tier III emission standards engines for workboats, spanning a power range from 551 to 1,213 kW. The engines are immediately available. This is particularly relevant to customers in Canada and... Read more →

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has reached agreement with trucking firms to lease or purchase more than 250 new heavy-duty trucks, fueled by its Redeem RNG (renewable natural gas). (Earlier post.) Clean Energy’s Zero Now program makes the cost of leasing or purchasing a new natural gas heavy-duty truck equal to... Read more →

School districts and transportation contractors can now purchase buses fueled by compressed natural gas that are 90% cleaner than the national emissions standard, opening more opportunities for funding that supports reduced emissions. ROUSH CleanTech developed the technology using Ford’s 6.8L V10 engine. It’s the first high-volume production CNG Type-C school... Read more →

Researchers from Hebei University of Technology, CATARC (China Automotive Technology & Research Center) qnd Shandong University report that soot and CO emissions could be substantially reduced in direct-injected natural gas engines without penalties in NOx and thermal efficiency via the coordination of PNPI (proportion of natural gas pre-injection), NPSOI (injection... Read more →

The 2020 Range Rover is now available in the UK with a 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder Ingenium gasoline engine in a Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) powertrain designed to bring enhanced efficiency to the range with fuel economy of 9.3l/100km (25.3 mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 212g/km (NEDC equivalent combined).... Read more →

Nissan’s Decherd assembly line is using a mirror bore process in the all-new 2019 Nissan Altima 2.5-liter engine. (At WCX SAE World Congress Experience this year in Detroit, Nissan presented a paper on the development of and technologies applied in the new 2.5L engine for the Altima, including the mirror... Read more →

Mazda Motor Corporation announced at the New York International Auto Show that it has begun accepting pre-orders for the diesel-powered 2019 Mazda CX-5 in the US market. It is the first time Mazda has offered a diesel-powered passenger car in the US market. The 2019 CX-5 Signature AWD with Skyactiv-D... Read more →

Manufacturers have been adopting technologies that improve the efficiency of light-duty vehicles and allow them to achieve greater fuel economy. Of all the emerging technologies, gasoline direct injection (GDI) has seen the highest level of adoption among manufacturers, reaching 51% for the 2018 model year, according to the US Department... Read more →

The new Audi S6 and S7 models in Europe are making their entrance with a torquey V6 TDI engine. For the first time, Audi has combined an electric-powered compressor (EPC) with a 48-volt primary electrical system. The pairing of an electric compressor with a 48-volt primary electrical system takes the... Read more →

In a paper being presented at WCX SAE World Congress Experience in Detroit this week, a team from MIT is proposing the use of a flex-fuel gasoline-alcohol engine approach for a series-hybrid powertrain for long-haul Class 8 trucks. In this approach the engine would provide comparable (or possibly greater) efficiency... Read more →

A study by a team from North Carolina State University, with colleagues from the Urban Air Initiative and 3DATX Corporation, has shown that non-FFVs (flexible-fuel vehicles) can adapt to a mid-level ethanol blend—specifically E27. The study was commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative. As reported in a paper in the... Read more →

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, continues to spearhead the introduction of compressed natural gas (CNG) technology, giving customers the widest choice of vehicles that are cleaner, more sustainable and offer even greater efficiency. Each vehicle has been designed and developed at SEAT’s headquarters in Martorell, and represents a... Read more →

In a paper to be presented this week at WCX SAE World Congress Experience, researchers from KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science & Technology) show that probability of a pre-ignition event relies on (a) the likelihood of precursor generation (from fuel impinging the liner); (b) the likelihood of precursors being... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $59 million for new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies research. Funded through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, this funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002014) seeks projects to address priorities in advanced batteries and electric drive systems, energy efficient mobility systems, materials... Read more →

Ricardo Software announced major updates to its proprietary suite of computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulation and analysis products. Now available for download by customers, Ricardo Software’s 2019.1 release provides significant enhancements in integration and functionality across the full product range, helping to enable cleaner and more fuel-efficient products to be brought... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group said that since August 2017, more than 300,000 old diesel vehicles to exhaust emissions standards Euro 1 to Euro 5 have been exchanged throughout the Group. The old diesels have been replaced by new or nearly new cars from the participating Group brands with efficient powertrains of... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) announced $36 million in awards for 18 projects as part of the High Intensity Thermal Exchange through Materials and Manufacturing Processes (HITEMMP) program, as well as the final OPEN+ Cohort, High Temperature Devices. These project teams seek to... Read more →

Audi is introducing a new highly efficient turbo engine for the 2019 DTM racing season (touring car racing series). The two-liter four-cylinder power-plant of the Audi RS 5 DTM delivers more than 610 horsepower—100 hp more than its naturally aspirated V8 predecessor. By means of the “push-to-pass” function, the drivers... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation have agreed to begin considering concrete collaboration in new fields. Toyota and Suzuki have been considering the concrete details of such collaboration since having concluded a memorandum of understanding toward business partnership in February 2017. (Earlier post.) Toyota and Suzuki, in addition to... Read more →

Researchers at Stony Brook University, with colleagues from The City College of New Tyork, Alloy Surfaces and Innoveering, explored the catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reforming of three potential transportation-relevant fuels—gasoline, diesel, and natural gas—for use in low-temperature combustion (LTC) engines. They report their results in a paper in the journal... Read more →