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 →

Commercial workboat engines are staying in service more than two times longer than predicted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to new research from the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). This finding reveals important opportunities for clean air improvements, especially in large port cities... Read more →

UK-based Reaction Engines has received further endorsement of its SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine) design (earlier post) via its collaboration with ESA and the UK Space Agency (UKSA). The two agencies recently reviewed the preliminary design of the demonstrator engine core of the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE), which Reaction... Read more →

United European Car Carriers (UECC), jointly owned by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Wallenius Lines, has signed a contract for the construction of two new generation PCTC (Pure Car And Truck Carrier) with China Ship Building Trading Co., Ltd and Jiangnan Shipyard Group Co. Ltd. The vessels will be... Read more →

The new Volkswagen Golf Variant TGI with three natural gas tanks. Golf Variant 1,5 TGI fuel consumption natural gas CNG in kg/100 km: urban 4.7 /extra-urban 3.0 / combined 3.6; CO2 emissions in g/km: 99; efficiency class: A+. › No need to compromise on space: Golf Variant TGI1 with space-saving... Read more →

Fiat-Chrysler of America (FCA) will recall more than 850,000 gasoline-powered passenger cars and SUVs due to a problem with their catalytic converters. The recall was announced after an investigation by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). There are about 50,000 of these vehicles... Read more →

Caterpillar Inc. and the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are teaming up to research heavy-duty diesel engines. This project is funded by the Department’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and is one of seven public-private partnerships recently selected under the DOE’s High Performance... Read more →

The Audi A3 Sportback g-tron is starting the new model year with a technology update. With an increased tank volume, the compact model can cover around 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) (WLTP cycle) in natural gas operation. Presales at dealerships in Germany have begun, with a base price of €30,600. Equipped... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected nine projects as part of a multimillion-dollar effort funded jointly by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the California Energy Commission (CEC), and the Southcoast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to advance the state of technology for natural... Read more →

Achates Power was awarded $2 million in funding from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) for the development of a Highly-efficient Opposed-Piston Engine (HOPE) for Hybrid Vehicles. (Earlier post.) Achates Power has partnered with the University of Michigan and Nissan Motor Company., Ltd. for the project.... Read more →

Mazda Motor Corporation staged the world premiere of the second model in its new-generation lineup, the Mazda CX-30 compact crossover SUV, at the Geneva International Motor Show. As a new core model, the CX-30 will be rolled out to global markets, with sales starting from Europe this summer. The powertrain... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz is expanding Vito van range with enhancements including new high-torque four-cylinder diesel engines for the Vito Tourer with passenger car approval. In comparison to the predecessor, the new OM 654 diesel engine range reduces emissions and fuel consumption while also optimizing noise and vibration comfort. The OM 654 model... Read more →

The heart of the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar’s hybrid powertrain (earlier post) is a clean-sheet Cosworth-built 65° naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine. Evoking the ultra-high-revving F1 engines of the 1990s, but benefitting from two decades of progress in design, material and manufacturing expertise, it sets new standards for maximum rpm... Read more →

Ford Europe will introduce more powerful and fuel-efficient 2.0-liter EcoBlue diesel engines, new 48V EcoBlue mild Hybrid powertrains; and driver assistance technologies including Active Park Assist in the enhanced Ford Tourneo Custom people-mover from mid-2019. Further optimized to deliver up to a 6% improvement in fuel efficiency for reduced running... Read more →

The new Audi SQ5 TDI diesel features a powerful V6 engine with a mild hybrid systems and an electric powered compressor to ensure that maximum torque is available to the sporty SUV at just above idle. The 3.0 V6 TDI engine delivers 255 kW (347 hp) and 700 N·m (516.3... Read more →

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is establishing a “Transformation Hub Electric Mobility” to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) with specialized knowledge in the process chain for manufacturing a combustion engine re-orient for electric mobility. The hub is funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg with €2.6 million. The Fit4E... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Engineering are seeking to improve the efficiency of jet engines by identifying and developing thermoelectric materials that can harness excess energy. Patrick Hopkins, professor and a director of Ph.D. studies in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UVA, is leading... Read more →

Audi is expanding the engine line-up for its luxury SUV, the Q8—as well as its roll-out of its 48V mild hybrid system (earlier post)—by adding two V6 engine versions. Beginning now, customers can also order the Q family’s top model with a 3.0 TFSI and an additional variant of the... Read more →

Reciprocating internal combustion engines (piston engines), which are typically used for backup, standby, or emergency power, are now becoming increasingly popular for larger utility-scale power generation applications, especially in areas with high levels of electricity generation from intermittent sources such as wind and solar, according to the US Energy Information... Read more →