Volvo Quits Diesel, Shifts its Focus to Electrification

 

Earlier this week, Volvo Cars’ CEO Håkan Samuelsson announced that the company’s current lineup of Drive-E diesel engines would be the last such engines produced by the Swedish car brand. Instead, he says, Volvo’s engineering focus has now switched to electric and electrified vehicles.

Volvo is aggressively pushing development on its new “Modular Electrification Platform” (MEP), which will serve as the basis for a number of cars- including the company’s first long-range electric car. That model is expected to cost between 35 and 40,000 USD when it arrives on US shores in 2019 with a 250 mile range.

Volvo CMA Platform

---

“That’s what I put in as the prerequisite for the United States,” said Volvo’s US chief, Lex Kerssemakers, back in March. “If I want to make a point in the United States, if I want to make volumes, that’s what I believe I need.”

Volvo executives have been giving credit to American electric car maker, Tesla, for kick-starting demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in the US and China. Vehicles that play into Volvo’s stated mission of creating socially responsible, human-focused products. Samuelsson said as much when he was quoted in Reuters, saying that, “We have to recognize that Tesla has managed to offer such a car for which people are lining up. In this area, there should also be space for us, with high quality and attractive design.”

Samuelsson hinted that Volvo- who has managed to stay clear of any diesel emission scandals, so far– could continue producing its current diesel engines until 2023. Diesel still represents about 50% of the market in Europe, although that percentage continues to fall in the wake of Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate” cheating. After that, Volvo will- officially- be done with diesel.

Source | Images: Volvo, via Electrek

Nissan e-Power Could Replace Diesel In Europe Says Ghosn

Last week, Nissan unveiled its new e-Power technology. It has a battery and a 1.2 liter 3 cylinder gasoline engine borrowed from the Nissan Micra. It also has a small battery — just 1/20 the size of the battery in the Nissan LEAF. The beauty of the e-Power system is it is compact enough to fit into almost any small car. The battery slides under the rear seat where it doesn’t take up precious passenger or cargo space.

The e-Power package is a series hybrid, unlike the Toyota Prius, which is a parallel hybrid. What’s the difference? In the Prius, the gasoline engine and the electric motor are both capable of sending power to the driven wheels. With e-Power, the gasoline engine is there solely to provide electricity for the electric motor and to recharge the battery.

That means the engine can be tuned to operate at its most efficient speed. It also means Nissan doesn’t have to pay Toyota any royalties or licensing fees. Lastly, it means the control systems for the package can be simplified, since it is not necessary to coordinate the operation of the gasoline engine and electric motor the way the Prius system has to.

Unlike most hybrids today, the e-Power system has no plug. The onboard engine takes care of keeping the battery charged so there is no need to plug in. The system is currently being demonstrated in a Nissan Note, a compact car that looks like a smaller version of the forthcoming Chevy Bolt. A Nissan spokesperson tells AutoBlog  the Note e-Power is currently only for Japan and the car was specifically designed for that region and its urban driving habits.

That may be so, but yesterday, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the new powertrain could potentially become an alternative to the ubiquitous diesel engine in Europe. The Continent bit hard on diesels after the oil embargoes of the 1970’s. Diesels are more efficient than gasoline engines, so governments all across Europe adopted policies favoring diesel powered cars. If you walk around any European city today, your ears will be filled with the clatter of diesel engines. Nearly 50% of all new cars sold in Europe are diesels.

Sadly, while diesels are fuel efficient, they also emit tremendous quantities of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and particulates. They are the primary reason why it is often impossible when visiting Paris to see the Eiffel Tower from the banks of the Seine because of the smog hanging low over the city.

The Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal destroyed Europe’s cozy relationship with diesel engines because it revealed for the first time how virtually every other manufacturer was cooking the books during their diesel emissions testing. While Europeans have saved billions of gallons of fuel by driving diesels for the past 40 years, they have also been slowly suffocating themselves in waste products spewing out of millions of tailpipes.

Ghosn told the press the new e-Power system is “definitely cost-competitive with diesel,” adding that it would “absolutely” be viable for the European mass market. It’s easy for Americans to scoff at such ideas. A 1.2 liter engine and tiny little battery? Like to see that tow a boat uphill to a cabin in the mountains. Don’t be ridiculous!

But Europeans are different than Americans. They are smaller in girth. They drive smaller cars over shorter distances. Their cars are not all equipped with air, 27 speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, and heated seats. In fact, the vast majority of cars on the Continent are fitted with manual transmissions, if you can imagine such a thing.

The e-Power package costs 27% more than a standard Nissan Note in the Japanese market. Ghosn says that is roughly the same premium people in Europe pay for a diesel engine. The difference will be more than made up for in fuel savings over the normal life of a car. And the e-Power has the same fuel economy as a diesel or higher. The small size of the battery is a major factor in keeping the price of an e-Power equipped car affordable. Same money, same or better gas mileage, greatly reduced emissions? Ghosn could be on to something here.

We all would prefer to drive a Tesla Model S, but for the majority of people the price difference just doesn’t make sense. An e-Power equipped Nissan for the same price as a diesel could be just the thing European countries need to reduce their carbon emissions while making sure ordinary people can afford the price of a new car.

Source: Automotive News

London Taxi Company Sets Its Sights On Other European Cities

The London Taxi Company is looking to expand its market. The company is owned by Chinese automaker Geely, the same company that also owns Volvo. It has recently completed a $400,000,000 upgrade to the factory where it builds its TX5 plug-in hybrid taxi for use in London. It thinks those cabs, with their wide doors, plentiful interior room, and low emissions would also work just fine in other cities.

The company is looking at such cities as Barcelona, Oslo, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Last week, it took its new TX5 plug-in hybrid to Paris, where concerns about persistent smog are unusually high. Paris recently announced plans to ban cars built prior to 1997 from its roads during week days. Those cars account for only 10% of all vehicles in use in and around Paris, but are responsible for more than 40% of its transportation related carbon emissions. Many of them are diesels with rudimentary pollution controls. Diesels emit particulates and nitrous oxide, both of which are major components of smog.

“Most of the major cities in Europe have an air-pollution problem,” said Peter Johansen, head of the taxi manufacturer. He says limited range “is what has stopped until now the adoption of electric vehicles as the mainstay of taxis.” Since the TX5 is a plug-in hybrid, range is not a concern.

The London Taxi Company is also interested in selling its vehicles to ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. “We are offering a global product that will be a global beater,” said Johansen, who says the car can reach European markets even if the UK votes to leave the European Union on June 23, because the country is “so much part of Europe now.”

, London’s cabs aren’t the only ones going green. France’s leading taxi company, Taxis G7, and Uber Technologies now allow customers in France to order electric and hybrid vehicles on their apps. Since December, tourists can also tour Paris in a vintage Citroen 2CV retrofitted with an electric drivetrain.

Source: Automotive News  Photo credit: London Taxi Company

General Motors To Add Diesel Option For Commercial Vans

The Chevy Express and GMC Savanna commercial vans have been in production with virtually no changes for 20 years and General Motors seems in no hurry to replace them. The vans have proved to be durable in commercial use, a feature that tradespeople value highly. They do have a problem, though. They get lousy gas mileage. The 6.0 liter V-8 most of them come with is rated a measly 11 mpg in the city, 16 on the highway. and 13 mpg overall.

Despite competition from new commercial vans from Ford and  Dodge, the Express/Savanna twins continue to sell well. 100,000 were sold in 2014 and another 85,000 in 2015. “The Express and Savana still have a lot of legs,” GM fleet boss Ed Peper said in an interview last month. He says there are plenty of customers who prefer GM’s “tried and true” vans to the Euro offerings, according to Automotive  News. I know that is true. I have a neighbor who is a carpet installer who just retired his Chevy Express after 11 years of service. His van has 394,567 miles on it.

In order to extend the life of its commercial vans a little further and address the fuel economy issue, GM now says it will offer its 2.8 liter Duramax diesel in the 2500 and 3500 versions of the Express and Savanna starting with the 2017 model year. That one move will nearly double the fuel economy of these workhorses. The Duramax is rated at 22 mpg city, 31 highway and 25 mpg combined when installed in the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickup trucks, according to Pickup Trucks.com.  That’s even more than the small Renault designed Chevy City Express van GM introduced last year.

The baby Duramax uses an iron cylinder block with dual overhead camshafts. It generates 181 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 369 pounds-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm. Once fitted to the larger commercial vans, the engine will be backed up with GM’s 8 speed automatic transmission. GM’s mid-size pickups and its commercial vans are all assembled at the Wentzville, Mo., plant, near St. Louis.

How long will GM be able to continue building these ancient commercial vans? Ed Peper says, “We’re always looking at opportunities to be disruptive.” Nothing says “disruptive” like building the same product on the same line every day since the Clinton administration, does it?

Ford Will Add Diesel Option For F-150 Pickup Trucks

The F-150 may soon come with an diesel engine option. Despite historically low fuel prices, fuel economy is still an important factor when it comes to buying a vehicle. Logically, it makes little sense to choose one pickup truck because it gets one or two miles a gallon better mileage on the highway, but people do anyway.

Ever since Dodge decided to slide a diesel engine into its Ram 1500, buyers have been flocking to the Mopar brand in record numbers. 15% of all Ram 1500s were equipped with the EcoDiesel engine in 2015. Most people think that’s because the Ram EcoDiesel is rated the highest of all full size pickup trucks at 29 mpg on the highway. The Ford F-150 equipped with a 2.7 liter V-6 is rated only 26 mpg.

Ford says, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” Soon, it too will offer an oil burner under the hood of its F-150 pickups in hopes of equaling or beating Dodge at its own game. According to Automotive News, F-150s with diesel engines have been spotted motoring around Ford’s product development center in Dearborn.

Ford is keeping mum about all this, but Dave Sullivan, an analyst for AutoPacific, says Ford’s is planning to introduce a diesel powered F-150 mated to the new 10 speed automatic transmission it developed in cooperation with General Motors. He thinks it will come to market as a 2017 model. “A diesel F-150, with its lightweight body and 10-speed automatic, would have all of the necessary hardware to win the fuel economy race,” Sullivan says.

The most likely diesel engine Ford would use in the F-150 is the 3.0 liter, twin turbo V-6 made at its Dagenham factory in England. That engine was developed jointly by Ford and Peugeot in 1999 and has been used Peugeots, Jaguars, Land Rovers and the Ford Territory, an off-road vehicle sold  in Australia. It is presently used in the Range Rover Sport, where it makes 254 hp with 440 lb-ft of torque at 1,750 rpm. The Ram EcoDiesel is rated at 240 hp and 420 pounds-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm.

The Range Rover weighs 4,727-pounds and has an EPA rating of 22 city/29 highway. The 2016 F-150 Lariat Crew Cab weighs 4,942 pounds and has about the same aerodynamic characteristics as the Range Rover, which suggests its fuel economy numbers should be about the same.

All this fretting over fuel economy is somewhat silly. If people were that interested in fuel economy, they wouldn’t buy a pickup truck in the first place. The numbers on the Mulroney sticker we see at the dealership often have little relationship to the numbers people get in real world driving. Nevertheless, Chevrolet, GMC and Nissan now offer diesels in their entry level pickup trucks. Ford doesn’t want to be odd man out in the diesel fuel economy wars, even if the higher cost of diesel fuel wipes out any marginal gains having a diesel under the hood may offer.

There is an old expression that says, “People buy on emotion and justify their purchase decision later with facts.” Most people buy trucks for the way they make them feel. Fuel economy numbers are just the incidental facts that validate their choices.

Gas prices haven't been this low since 2007

US drivers can hail the return of the gold old days, if they consider 2007 to be "old." That's the last time gasoline and diesel prices were as low as they are today, according to the Diesel Driver. And some experts are saying gas prices could fall further on an oil-inventory glut and a continued decrease in demand from China.

Truckers, in particular, can celebrate, since diesel fuel is priced on average at about $2.48 a gallon right now, about 48 percent less than a year ago. Regular gas costs about $2.06 a gallon, on average, or about 35 percent less than it did last year. If you're looking to see how the trend is going, both gas and diesel prices are down two or three cents a gallon in the past week alone.

These costs are driven largely by the Midwest. Michigan has the country's lowest-priced gas at about $1.80 a gallon, and states such as Oklahoma, Missouri, South Carolina and Ohio are all within a penny or two of that figure. Not as happy are the folks out west. Hawaii, per usual, has the country's most expensive gas at more than $2.80 a gallon, followed up by California at $2.69 a gallon and Nevada at $2.53 a gallon.

The only folks who may not be ready for the full-fledged party are sellers of hybrid and plug-in vehicles, which have been banking on higher gas prices to push consumers towards alternative powertrains. Last month, US sales of hybrids, plug-ins and diesel fell 27 percent from a year earlier. Even after factoring out the stop-sale of Volkswagen diesels, green-car sales still fell 16 percent compared to November 2015. Who's happy now?

Porsche, Audi Added To Diesel Cheating List

It just keeps getting worse for Volkswagen. Accused by the EPA and CARB back in September of installing software in almost a half million 4 cylinder diesel engine cars sold in America that gives false reports on how much pollution those cars were spewing into the atmosphere, the company admitted its wrongdoing and apologized profusely. At the time, it assured regulators and customers that its V-6 diesel engines, installed in certain Porsche and Audi models such as the Cayenne and Q7, did not have the same cheating software.

Wrong, says the EPA. On November 2, it sent Volkswagen a second notice of violation of the Clean Air Act. The new notice claims  VW installed software on VW, Porsche, and Audi V-6 diesel powered vehicles manufactured between 2014 and 2016 that ended up increasing the car’s nitrogen oxide emissions by up to nine times the EPA’s standard.

According to TninkProgress, the”defeat device” software is able to sense when the cars are being put through federal emissions testing. When that happens, the cars are put into a lower emissions mode. According to the EPA, “the vehicle meets emission standards”  in that mode. However, one second after the test is completed, the car switches back into normal mode and emits far more pollutants. This second notice of violation encompasses 10,000 vehicles sold since 2014, and an “unknown volume of 2016 vehicles.”

“Today we are requiring VW Group to address these issues,” Richard Corey, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board, said in a statement. “This is a very serious public health matter. ARB and EPA will continue to conduct a rigorous investigation that includes testing more vehicles until all of the facts are out in the open.”

The US Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the matter. Apparently elevated nitrous oxide levels are a bigger threat to society than cheating Wall Street bankers who take down the entire global economic system with their avarice and greed.

“All companies should be playing by the same rules,” Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator at the EPA, said in a statement. “EPA, with our state and federal partners, will continue to investigate these serious matters to secure the benefits of the Clean Air Act, ensure a level playing field for responsible businesses, and to ensure consumers get the environmental performance they expect.”

No one yet knows why Volkswagen elected to program its diesel powered car to cheat. Was it hubris? Stupidity? Something else? Whatever the reason, it has cost the company nearly half of its market value and made it subject to potential fines in the US of up to $37,500 per car.  And that’s before the lawyers get involved with their class action suits on behalf of aggrieved Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi owners. The grandkids will probably be out of high school before this mess is resolved.

Volkswagen Phaeton Flagship Will Be Electric Tesla Rival

In the wake of the diesel emissions cheating scandal that has already cost the company tens of billions of dollars, VW plans to cut spending on “unessential” new models by as much as $1 billion dollars. What’s most interesting, however, will be something that is being considered essential: an all-electric Phaeton flagship that’s set to rival the Tesla Model S.

When Volkswagen launched the first-generation Phaeton luxury sedan, it had set out to prove that Volkswagen- and not Mercedes-Benz or Rolls Royce- was the world’s innovation and engineering leader. Despite being a market flop in North America before it was discontinued, the $70,000+ Phaeton went on to underpin the hugely successful Bentley Continental and Audi A8, in so doing, going a long way to prove that it really probably was something special.

That’s the past, though. For the future, “the Volkswagen brand is re-positioning itself for the future. We are becoming more efficient, we are giving our product range and our core technologies a new focus,” said VW’s newly-appointed CEO, Dr. Herbert Diess, in a statement that fits neatly with the brand’s move to distance itself from diesel in the US … at least, for the foreseeable future.

You can check out Volkswagen’s official statement on both the company’s future tech, cost-cutting efforts, and the upcoming new Phaeton (again) in the company’s official press release, below.

VW Brand Board of Management Takes Strategic Decisions

---

• Accelerated implementation of the efficiency program creates room for reorientation
• Streamlined processes leverage further cost-saving potential, including cuts in fixed costs
• Product decisions formulated
• New Phaeton will be electric
• New Modular Electric Toolkit planned

The newly-formed Volkswagen Brand Board of Management took further strategic decisions at a special meeting. CEO Dr. Herbert Diess announced major product decisions: a reorientation of the diesel strategy with the most advanced technologies, the development of a standardized electric architecture for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, and a new approach for the next generation of the Phaeton. Investments are to be reduced by some one billion euros per year, the efficiency program is to be accelerated.
Dr. Herbert Diess underscored: “The Volkswagen brand is re-positioning itself for the future. We are becoming more efficient, we are giving our product range and our core technologies a new focus, and we are creating room for forward-looking technologies by speeding up the efficiency program.”
Reorientation of the diesel strategy
It was decided to switch over to installing only diesel drives with SCR and AdBlue technology in Europe and North America as soon as possible. Diesel vehicles will only be equipped with exhaust emissions systems that use the best environmental technology.
Systematic further development of the Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB)
There will be a major development thrust for the proven MQB standardized technical toolkit, where Volkswagen Passenger Cars holds responsibility for development within the Group network. The focus is on plug-in hybrids with an even greater range, high-volume electric vehicles with a radius of up to 300 kilometers, a 48-volt power supply system (mild hybrid) as well as ever more efficient diesel, petrol and CNG concepts.
 A new standard with regard to connectivity and driver assistance systems is to be defined.
MEB electric toolkit
An MEB electric toolkit for future use in compact segment vehicles is to be developed based on the experience gained with existing vehicle architectures. This will be a multi-brand toolkit suitable for both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles and will thus leverage synergies from other electric vehicle projects in the Group. The standardized system will be designed for all body structures and vehicle types, thus allowing particularly emotional vehicle concepts, and will enable an all-electric range of 250 to 500 kilometers.
Phaeton redefined – the future is electric
The Volkswagen Phaeton has embodied the brand’s technological competence and brand ambition from the first generation onward. The future generation of the Phaeton will once again be the flagship for the brand’s profile over the next decade. In light of this, the Board of Management redefined the current project. The specification features a pure electric drive with long-distance capability, connectivity and next-generation assistance systems as well as an emotional design.
Accelerated efficiency program
Dr. Herbert Diess said: “We are very aware that we can only implement these innovations for the future of the Volkswagen brand effectively if we succeed with our efficiency program and in giving our product range a new focus.”
Diess continued: “Together with my Board of Management colleagues and the entire team we are working at top speed on these issues. Time and again, the Volkswagen team has proved it stands united and is fully focused on shaping the future, particularly when times are tough. We have now laid the further foundations for that.”

Source: Volkswagen, via Automotive News Europe.

Toyota unveils new diesels with advanced thermal insulation combustion; 15% more fuel efficient, 25% more torque; 44% thermal efficiency

2.8-liter 1GD-FTV direct-injection turbo diesel engine. Click to enlarge.

Toyota has introduced a new line of turbodiesel engines with more torque, greater efficiency and lower emissions. The new GD engines feature Toyota’s next-generation advanced thermal insulation diesel combustion to reduce cooling loss significantly.

The use of Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology (TSWIN) helps make the 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV engine one of the most thermally efficient, with a maximum thermal efficiency of 44% (measured in-house). Despite smaller engine displacement in comparison to the current KD engine, maximum torque is improved by 25% and low speed torque improved by 11%, while fuel efficiency has received a 15% boost.

Toyota will gradually phase out the current globally deployed KD diesel engines and replace them with GD engines. By 2016, production will reach approximately 700,000 units a year with introduction in approximately 90 markets, set to expand to at least 150 markets by 2020.

The newly developed 1GD-FTV is currently available in the new Hilux small pickup truck launched in Thailand in May 2015, and in the partially redesigned Land Cruiser Prado launched in Japan on 17 June. The same engine lineup includes the 2GD-FTV 2.4-liter direct-injection turbo diesel engine.

GD engines main specifications
	1GD-FTV	2GD-FTV
Displacement	2,754 cc	2,393 cc
Bore/stroke ratio	92×103.6 mm	92×90 mm
Compression ratio	15.6	15.6
Maximum output	130 kw (177 PS) @ 3,400 rpm	110 kw (150 PS) @ 3,400 rpm
Maximum torque	450 N･m (332 lb-ft) @ 1,600-2,400 rpm	400 N･m (295 lb-ft) @ 1,600-2,000 rpm
Low speed torque	370 N･m (273 lb-ft) @ 1,200 rpm	330 N･m (243 lb-ft) @ 1,200 rpm

Advanced thermal insulation diesel combustion. Toyota’s new advanced diesel combustion system features a number of elements. A port shape more conducive to air intake significantly increases the amount of air flow into the cylinders—some 11% greater with the new GD port than with the port used on the previous generation KD diesels.

Precise pilot injection matching the state of the ambient air occurs before the main injection to shorten ignition delay, achieving stable combustion even in the world’s harshest environments, while ensuring quiet operation and high thermal efficiency.

A newly developed piston combustion chamber shape and a common-rail fuel injection system that achieves higher pressure and more advanced control of fuel injection pressure are used to optimize the injection of fuel into the combustion chamber. This maximizes air consumption, enabling higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions.

Due to the world-first use of Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology and the use of silica-reinforced porous anodized aluminum (SiRPA) on the pistons, cooling loss during combustion is reduced by approximately 30%. SiRPA is a high insulation and dissipation material that is easy to heat and easy to cool.

In a 2013 paper describing the Thermal Swing concept, Toyota engineers noted that the surface temperature of the commonly-used metals for combustion chambers—i.e., iron or aluminum—have almost constant surface temperatures udring the whole engine cycle. As a result, the difference of temperature between the working gas and the wall surface during the combustion period is large. This is the main cause of heat loss in the combustion chamber.

Traditional adiabatic engines, including the engines with ceramic thermal barrier coatings, cause almost invariably high temperature on the wall surface during the whole cycle including the intake stroke…and result in decrease in the volumetric efficiency, increase in working gas temperature, and facilitate the occurrence of engine knock.

On the other hand, using a “Temperature Swing” coat, which is a low-heat-conductivity and low-heat-capacity material, on the combustion chamber walls, leads to a large change in surface temperature. … the surface temperature with the insulation coat follows the transient gas temperature, which decreases heat loss without heating intake air.

—Kosaka et al.

In that 2013 paper, the Toyota engineers also noted that the effect of the “Temperature Swing” coast is larger in a turbocharged diesel engine than in a naturally-aspirated diesel engine. They attributed this to two factors:

• The larger temperature fluctuation of the wall due to large heat transfer coefficient based on both higher cylinder pressure and higher gas flow speed in diesel engines.
• The larger reduction rate of the temperature difference between the working gas and the combustion wall surface resulting form the lower peak of gas temperature.
• Another factor is that the exhaust energy increased by heat insulation is recovered with a turbocharger.

Turbocharger. The new compact high-efficiency variable geometry turbocharger (produced in-house by Toyota) used by the GD engines is 30% smaller than its current equivalent, and features a newly developed turbine that improves efficiency, and a newly developed impeller that provides instantaneous acceleration response and produces maximum torque over a wide range of RPM.

By reducing size and increasing efficiency, the newly developed turbocharger with the GD engine delivers approximately a 50% faster response in the rate of boost pressure increase.

Toyota-first urea selective catalyst reduction (SCR) system. Use of Toyota’s proprietary, compact, high-dispersion urea selective catalyst reduction (SCR) system eliminates up to 99% of emissions of NO_x. This will help vehicles conform to Euro 6 and the 2010 emissions standards set by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Resources

• Kosaka, H., Wakisaka, Y., Nomura, Y., Hotta, Y. et al. (2013) “Concept of “Temperature Swing Heat Insulation” in Combustion Chamber Walls, and Appropriate Thermo-Physical Properties for Heat Insulation Coat,” SAE Int. J. Engines 6(1):142-149 doi: 10.4271/2013-01-0274

Chevy Colorado ZR2 Concept Packs A Diesel Punch

Diesel engines and smaller trucks are making a comeback in America, and GM has combined both trends in the Chevy Colorado ZR2 concept debuting at the LA Auto Show. Though buyers still have a year or more to wait to get their own diesel-powered Chevy pickup, this tantalizing vision of what may be in store has rekindled my excitement for GM’s midsize pickup.

GM has revived the ZR2 moniker for the Chevy Colorado, giving the mid-size pickup a four-inch wider stance for better stability and a two-inch lift meant to provide additional ground clearance. The front and rear fascia has also been replaced so the Colorado has even more ground clearance, and engineers added skid plates and new shocks to improve ride quality over rough terrain.

The real showstopper here though is the inclusion of the 2.8 liter Duramax four-cylinder turbodiesel. This will be the top-of-the-line engine for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon when production begins in late 2015, offering just 181 horsepower by a stump-pulling 369 lb-ft of torque at just 2,000 RPM. That’s as much torque as V8 engines twice the size of the Duramax, and will enable the Colorado to handle rock crawling and heavy hauling with equal aplomb.

““This new Duramax diesel engine will take efficient capability to an entirely new plateau for the midsize truck segment,” said Tony Johnson, marketing manager for the Colorado. “Its broad torque band makes it very powerful at low rpm, while the turbocharged performance provides a confident feeling of immediate and smooth power on demand – attributes customers will appreciate when trailering.”

Pricing for the diesel-powered Colorado hasn’t been set yet, and fuel economy figures are still anybody’s guess. But if GM can get the Colorado over the 30 MPG market, that might just be the magic number to make this mid-size pickup even more of a certifiable sales hit.

Jaguar XE To Get Diesel Engines In The U.S.

Though it has long offered efficient diesel engines in Europe, Jaguar dealers in the U.S. have been denied this motors for just as long. That all changes with the new Jaguar XE though, which Automotive News reports will come stateside powered by the new Ingenium diesel engines…once they pass U.S. emissions standards, that is.

America’s stringent diesel regulations have prevented some of the most efficient engines in the world from being offered here, and while traditionally that wasn’t an issue, these days every MPG matters. Availability of the diesel-powered Jaguar means the new aluminum sedan won’t arrive in the U.S. until 2016 as a 2017 model, as executives want both the diesel engines and all-wheel drive offered from the get-go. Unfortunately, a manual transmission won’t make the cut at initial launch, with rear-wheel drive and a six-speed slushbox being standard issue, but Jaguar is claiming a 75 MPG rating for its diesel engines with this setup.

Even once the EPA brings the fuel economy rating into alignment with American expectations, the 200 or 240 horsepower diesel engines should be capable of delivering hybrid-rivaling fuel economy. For those more concerned with horsepower than the environment, a 2.0 liter gasoline turbo engine and 3.0 liter supercharged V6 are also on the table. But for those long wanting the chance to buy a diesel-powered big cat, after decades of being denied, you’ve got a couple more years to wait.

It’s been a long time coming, and we’ve still got a couple of more years to wait. But the promise of diesel-powered Jaguars here in the U.S. is plenty of reason to get excited if you’re a Leaping Cat fan.

Source: Gas 2.

2014 Diesel Sales Are Up 25%

Sales of diesel powered cars in the US are up 25% in 2014, far ahead of the 4.2% total increase in new car sales for the year so far. These stats come via the Diesel Technology Forum, and seems to show a decidedly favorable outloot for diesel vehicle sales in the U.S. Oddly, Volkswagen, which offers the most number of diesel powered models, has seen an 8% decline in sales, though that was somewhat made up for by its corporate cousin, Audi, which has see a four-fold increase in diesel sales to 8,100 units.

The Chevy Cruze diesel is also enjoying strong sales, with 3,000 units sold so far in 2014. In all, there are there are 46 diesel models sold in the U.S., and 27 of them are cars or SUVs Despite this though, diesels account for just 3% of the U.S. market at present. However, analysts expect that number to double over the next 3 years. Yes, diesel fuel costs more than gasoline, but diesel engines return about 30% better fuel economy, more than making up for  the few extra cents per gallon. And if you are driving a car that requires premium gas – which many luxury cars do – the difference in cost of fuel is rather minimal.

The government is pushing automakers to make huge gains in average fuel economy in coming years, and for many, the diesel option is far less costly than hybrids, plug-in hybrids or electric cars. There is no “range anxiety” associated with diesel an more like there was 20 years ago. In fact, most motorists are pleasantly surprised how quiet and responsive modern diesel engines can be.

While the marketplace is sorting out what the future of transportation will be, diesel powered cars will remain part of the mix. One big advantage they enjoy over gasoline powered cars and high tech cars like PHEV’s, EV’s and fuel cell vehicles is strong resale value. That’s a powerful incentive to go the diesel route for many prospective purchasers.

via AutoBlog

2015 Audi A7 Debuts 326 HP TDI Engine

The 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans was won (once again) by Audi, continuing an almost uninterrupted reign of racing dominance anchored by a powerful turbodiesel engine.  To celebrate its many successes at Le Mans, the 2015 Audi A7 has been fitted with a 326 horsepower 3.0 liter turbodiesel engine.

With that 326 horsepower comes a 38 MPG rating, Audi even managed to squeeze a 20-horsepower overboost feature in at full throttle. That makes it good for 26 horsepower over the standard A7 TDI when you push the pedal to the metal.

The 2015 Audi A7 TDI Sportback Competition (full name) also gets the aluminum treatment, with the doors, hood, and many interior features being made of the lightweight material. Of course all this comes at a hefty price, starting at around 72,000 euro, or about $97,300. For that you also get the S line sport package, which drops the suspension 20 mm with five-spoke 20-inch wheels over 7-inch brake rotors.

As for the new 3.0 liter bi-turbo diesel engine, changes to the camshaft and overboost function make the engine capable of 346 horsepower. The cherry on top though is the 480 ft-lbs of torque that’ll put you back in your seat at full throttle, once that overboost feature kicks in.

See? You can have your cake and eat it too. Just gotta dig a little deeper into those pockets to have it.

Source: Audi

Old Trucks Get Their Groove Back In West Virginia

The classic car has a special place in many gear heads’ hearts. I mean, who doesn’t feel a sense of American pride thinking about Steve McQueen racing his Mustang through San Francisco or the Cadillac Eldorado in “Smokey in the Bandits”? It’s just too bad that driving these older models comes with oodles of environmental problems. That’s why it’s wonderful to see some old, diesel trucks finding a useful home at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia.

Like optical telescopes which need dark areas in order to operate properly, radio telescopes need shelter from electromagnetic interference. This is because weak cosmic signals can be easily masked by terrestrial radio waves. The NRAO, for example, is located in a quiet zone surrounded by national forests and the mountainous terrain of West Virginia.

To protect the zone from any interference, NRAO Regulations require visitors to limit motorized traffic to diesel vehicles. Electric spark plugs and computer chips inside modern, gasoline-powered cars interfere with the radio. Visitors can’t even use new diesel cars because the door chimes, seatbelt buzzers, and computer-controlled engine management systems are also problematic. 

But old diesels don’t have the same problem. They use glow plugs instead of spark plugs and mechanical fuel injection instead of electronic injection. In other words, they’re actually good for the environment around a radio telescope because they don’t interfere with its sensitive signals.

Some of the old trucks seen around NRAO include Chevrolet Suburbans, pickups, and even some diesel-powered Checker Marathons. (Remember those?!) They range in age from 30 to 45 years old, and come complete with nostalgia-worthy features like blue vinyl seats and manual windows. While they may not be the classic Mustangs and Cadillacs of your dreams, at least these old trucks seem to be getting plenty of use.

Source | Image: Driving.ca

2015 Volvo Drive-E Engine Deep Dive - VIDEO

Volvo is betting the Swedish farm on its future customers being more enamored with environmental responsibility and outright performance than they are with the kind of “no replacement for displacement” commentary that is the automotive equivalent of the Monday morning quarterback. As such, they’ve put massive efforts into their new Drive-E series of 4 cylinder engines (available in both gas and diesel versions) which, in their most aggressive forms, are both turbocharged AND supercharged.

It’s a brave, new world of Swedish insanity, in other words.

That said, a lot of what Volvo has in mind with its new Drive-E lineup makes perfect sense. “We have created a range of smaller, more intelligent engines with power curves that give exciting drivability compared with engines with more cylinders. At the same time we continue to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions,” explains Derek Crabb. As the vice president of powertrain engineering at Volvo, Crabb was tasked with reducing the number of engines across the carmaker’s lineup from 8 to 2. It was important, then, to build an engine that could, in various states of tune, deliver maximum efficiency at 140 hp, and still offer 300+ hp for performance-oriented buyers.

They’re clever engines, and Volvo is- rightfully!- proud of them. Recently, they released the following 6 minute video that takes viewers through an in-depth explanation of what the Drive-E philosophy is, why Volvo’s betting big on its success, and what the future of Swedish luxury and performance cars will look like. Also: overly dramatic visual effects. Enjoy!

Source | Photos: Volvo, via TechVehi.