Powertrain - New Technologies & Strategies comprehensively explores the emerging powertrain technology from the conventional, and changes in gasoline and diesel engines, to the 'new' technologies of hybrids, EVs and fuel cells. It also examines the range of strategic choices that OEMs are making as deadlines for fuel efficiency improvement become closer.

As the automotive industry strives to reduce emissions and radically improve fuel efficiency powertrain is the single most important component sector for development. Today the choices for OEMs are bewildering in technology terms as each underlying powertrain option continues development at a pace. Furthermore, there is a new paradigm emerging where the customer options an OEM must offer includes both gasoline and diesel, alternative fuels, hybrids, and in the future electric vehicles and fuel cells. This added complexity moves the global industry away from the long standing strategies governed by the economics of existing installed capacity and forces a much move expansive approach to powertrain technology.

Furthermore, there is a new paradigm emerging where the customer options an OEM must offer includes both gasoline and diesel, alternative fuels, hybrids, and in the future electric vehicles and fuel cells. This added complexity moves the global industry away from the long standing strategies governed by the economics of existing installed capacity and forces a much more expansive approach to powertrain technology.

Introduction

Industry Drivers

Legislation and regulation
Sulphur

Gasoline Engine Technology

Fuel efficiency
Engine technology development
Engine downsizing
The 2/4SIGHT engine
Torque enhancement system (VTES)
Variable compression ratios
Valve technology
Variable valve technology
Electro-mechanical valve control
Cylinder shutoff – Variable Displacement Engine (VDE) or Displacement on Demand
Combustion systems
Gasoline Direct Injection
Spray guided injection
Alternative engine technologies
The MUSIC engine
The Duke Engine
The Pivotal Engine
Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI)
The Daimler DiesOtto concept

Diesel Engine Technology

Weight reduction and new powertrain materials
Commonrail injection
Bosch’s third generation commonrail system
Commonrail for commercial vehicles
Piezo technology
Pistons
Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI)
Diesels in the US
The economic benefits of engine families
Summary and outlook

Turbocharging

Turbocharger Sectors
Heavy Duty
Light duty
Performance
Superchargers
Turbocharging Versus Supercharging
Wastegated turbochargers
Turbocompounding
Charged Air Coolers (CACs)
Compressors
Compressor mapping
Bearing Systems
Radial Bearing System
Micro turbocharging
Variable geometry
Multiple Turbochargers
Electronic controls and new materials
Titanium Compressor Impellers
Assisted turbocharging

Exhaust after-treatment

Gasoline (Petrol) Engine Emissions
Diesel Engine Emissions
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)
System design

Alternative powertrains

Hybrid Technology
Types of hybrid vehicle
Micro Hybrids
Electronic components
Series hybrids
Parallel hybrids
Series/Parallel hybrids
Full Hybrid
Mild or Assist Hybrids
Plug-In or Dual-Mode hybrids
Hybrid transmissions
One-Mode and Two-Mode Hybrids
Regenerative braking
Electric motors
AC Motors
DC Motors
Synchronous motors
Switch reluctance machines
Battery Technology
Lead acid
Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)
Sodium nickel chloride (NaNiCl)
Lithium-ion
Li-ion technology improvements
Supercapacitors and ultracapacitors

Alternative fuels

Ethanol
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
Biofuels
Biofuels’ compatibility with today’s engines
Biodiesel
Hydrogen
The hydrogen internal combustion engine
Hydrogen enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG)
Fuel cell vehicles
The different methods
Liquefied hydrogen
Compressed hydrogen
Methanol
Gasoline reformation
Metal hydrides
Nanotubes
Sodium borohydride
Cost factors
Fuel cell advantages
Future trends

OEM Strategy

TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Contribution to CO2 reduction
Figure 2: Urban road transport NOx emissions 1990 - 2015
Figure 3: Permitted emissions for cars by class.
Figure 4: Specific emissions targets
Figure 5: Comparison of EU light vehicles against new proposed EU CO2 limits
Figure 6: Current car manufacturers’ status against EU target
Figure 7: International Sulphur content regulation 2007
Figure 8: Technology roadmaps for gasoline engines focused on CO2 reduction
Figure 9: Cost/ benefit of future powertrain choices
Figure 10: 2/4SIGHT prototype engine
Figure 11: 2/4SIGHT engine concept
Figure 12: VCR engine efficiency at various power levels
Figure 13: Nissan’s VVEL system
Figure 14: A cam-less engine using electro-mechanical valve control on test at Lotus.
Figure 15: Valeo’s e-valve system
Figure 16: A comparison of wall guided and spray guided direct injection
Figure 17: Cylinder head design layout for a four cylinder engine
Figure 18: A 3 litre equivalent Duke Engine
Figure 19: Water-cooled pivotal piston engine
Figure 20: The effect of diesel engine downsizing on fuel consumption
Figure 21: Continental’s piezo injector.
Figure 22: Delphi’s HP HD Diesel Commonrail System
Figure 23: A comparison of direct acting injectors versus servo-hydraulic injector spray patterns
Figure 24: US diesel and gasoline prices in comparison with the WTI crude index
Figure 25: Supercharged Audi 3.0L V6 Engine
Figure 26: Scania 12 litre Euro IV engine with EGR and turbocompounding
Figure 27: Compressor map of a turbocharger for passenger car applications
Figure 28: Holset VGT™ Turbocharging Technology
Figure 29: Tri-turbo concept from Mercedes-Benz
Figure 30: BMW bi-turbo
Figure 31: Turbocharging technologies for high pressure charging
Figure 32: A comparison between 1975 and 2009 passenger car exhaust system
Figure 33: A Three-way catalytic converter
Figure 34: Heated TWC
Figure 35: NOx /particulates trade-off in cooled and non-cooled EGR systems
Figure 36: A schematic illustrating SCR
Figure 37: Diesel Particulate Filter
Figure 38: Diesel exhaust after-treatment system schematic
Figure 39: Ratio of engine and motor operation in the hybrid system
Figure 40: Continental’s ISAD Unit
Figure 41: Stop-start (micro-hybrid) production forecast
Figure 42: Delphi Belt Alternator Starter
Figure 43: Hybrid electric vehicle drive configurations
Figure 44: One-Mode Hybrid Input-Split EVT
Figure 45: Two-Mode Hybrid Input-Split EVT
Figure 46: One-Mode Hybrid Input-Split EVT
Figure 47: Two-Mode Hybrid with Input-Split and Compound-Split EVT Modes
Figure 48: Two mode hybrid transmission
Figure 49: Regenerative Braking System
Figure 50: EV motors
Figure 51: Switch reluctance machines
Figure 52: Battery price trend forecast
Figure 53: Energy storage overview
Figure 54: Battery technology evolution
Figure 55: A typical Zebra battery module
Figure 56: Lithium-ion battery pack
Figure 57: Energy density versus output density in battery systems
Figure 58: A Ragone plot showing energy density vs power density for various energy-storage devices
Figure 59: CNG filling stations in Europe.
Figure 60: Bi-fuel system components
Figure 61: A SunLine Tranist Agency "SunBus" with Cummins Westport 5.9-litre B Gas Plus engine, refuelling with HCNG
Figure 62: World biofuel targets
Figure 63: First and second generation biofuels
Figure 64: Well-to-wheel analysis for biofuels
Figure 65: Pros and cons of first and second generation biofuels
Figure 66: OEM manufactured CNG/ LPG engine options are limited
Figure 67: Comparison of fuel cell technologies
Figure 68: Mercedes-Benz B Class Fuel Cell research vehicle
Figure 69: Ballard's fuel cell stack
Figure 70: Ford fuel cell components
Figure 71: Ford's Focus fuel cell vehicle
Figure 72: Regional CO2 reduction performance
Figure 73: Regional CO2 reduction performance
Figure 74: Average European corporate CO2 output 2006
Figure 75: Gasoline and diesel paths to lower CO2 emissions
Figure 76: Passenger car powertrain timeline
Figure 77: Gasoline and diesel CO2 reduction effects
Figure 78: Passenger car electrification timeline
Figure 79: Ford sustainable technologies migration plan
Figure 80: OEM CO2 reduction strategy summary
Figure 81: GM advanced propulsion strategy
Figure 82: GM diesel technology programme
Figure 83: GM gasoline technology programme