Articles tagged with "Diesel"
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World's first hybrid refuse truck launched in Sweden
April 8, 2008 Volvo has announced that Swedish refuse collection firms Renova and Ragn-Sells will begin regular daily testing of two of the company's hybrid refuse trucks ahead of a market launch in 2009. Using a 7 liter diesel engine and an electric motor that utilizes regenerative braking, the trucks are capable of delivery fuel (and therefore emissions) savings of 20 percent. (read more...)
Suzuki to exhibit Kizashi Concept x 2 at the Geneva Motor Show
January 27, 2008 Suzuki will present both the Kizashi and Kizashi 2 Concept cars together for the first time at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show. Unveiled separately at the 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt and 2007 Tokyo Motor Show respectively, the Concepts showcase the company's intention to build on its automotive presence already established in the compact car (Swift) and sport utility vehicle (Grand Vitara) segments by entering into the sedan market. The Kizashi - a Japanese word meaning “prelude” or “foretaste” - will feature a 2.0L 4-valve turbo diesel engine coupled with an intelligent all-wheel drive system targeting low CO2 emissions in a lean, muscular design that aims to optimize interior spaciousness and apply the no-nonsense, user-oriented approach to driver functionality gleaned from Suzuki's experience in motorcycle production. (read more...)
Audi R8-based concept delivers a flat 1,000Nm torque spread
January 16, 2008 Audi looks set to create a new class of road-going supercar following the first showing of its R8 TDI Concept at NAIAS this week. Using the V12 6.0-liter bi-turbo TDI engine first seen in the forthcoming Q7 V12 TDI SUV, the 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 with 500 bhp is similar in basic concept to the R10 TDI’s 5.5-litre race engine, and delivers – wait for it - 1,000Nm of torque - between 1,750rpm and 3000 rpm, guaranteeing the effortless delivery of a 4.2-second 0-62mph acceleration time and a top speed in excess of 186mph. The 4WD beauty has a full set of goodies, such as Audi’s magnetic adaptive suspenders, it already meets the proposed EU6 emission limits expected to apply from 2014 and comes with a GPS system that incorporates race circuit information and centrifugal force / boost pressure data when the car is in race mode. Hey guys, you’ve gotta make this one! (read more...)
Mitsubishi plan clean diesel assault on 2009 Dakar
December 18, 2007 Mitsubishi will use what must be the worlds toughest proving ground - the 2008 Dakar Rally - to garner technical feedback on the company's new high-performance clean diesel engines with a view to fully introducing the technology at the Dakar in 2009. Aiming for its 8th consecutive Dakar victory, Mitsubishi aims to derive durability and endurance data essential to the future development of clean diesel engines already seen in its Concept-cX and Concept-RA vehicles. (read more...)
MITSUBISHI Concept-RA set for Detroit debut
November 28, 2007 Mitsubishi has released tantalizing design sketches of its Concept-RA ahead of the car's world premiere at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January 2008. With a view to rolling high-performance, low-emissions and fuel efficiency into one package, the coupe Concept features the all-wheel control system and automated manual transmission used in the Lancer Evolution X and is powered by a turbo-charged, 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve clean-diesel engine that delivers a maximum output of 150 kW (204 PS) and maximum torque of 420 Nm (42.8 kg-m). (read more...)
Scania’s third-generation ethanol buses debut in Stockholm
November 9, 2007 Stockholm Transport (SL) is taking delivery of 10 Scania buses featuring the company's third generation of ethanol engines - technology which can cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90 per cent compared to conventional diesel motors. (read more...)
Nissan’s Intima concept revealed in the lead-up to Tokyo Auto Show
Perhaps the least outrageous of the Japanese concepts to be unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Show – and thus the most likely to directly influence a production model, Nissan’s Intima concept saloon lays out the company’s definition of modern luxury. Slick exterior looks sit well with a glass-roofed interior that’s designed to soothe its occupants in an aesthetic sense as much as physically. Wide-angle barn doors on the driver and passenger sides give exceptionally easy access, and they’ve even included an 80-degree swiveling motorised passenger seat to assist the elderly or disabled in a comfortable and dignified entry and exit. (read more...)
Bio-diesel powered motorcycle eclipses 100mpg
October 22, 2007 The 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge got underway yesterday with 40 teams from across the globe competing in the 3000 km race from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia. Among the competitors in the Greenfleet Technology Class - a category for internal combustion vehicles promoting an enhanced environmental profile - is the BioBike, a biodiesel-powered motorcycle, constructed by a group of students in Adelaide, Australia, that happily does 96kmh and returns a staggering fuel economy of only 2.2 litres per 100 kilometres. As the design is further refined, BioBike’s creators expect this to drop below the 2 litres per 100km mark (around 107 miles per gallon), and they believe it can be manufactured for around the same cost as a petrol-powered dirtbike. (read more...)
GEO2 Technologies' advanced diesel filtration technology
October 16, 2007 Clean transportation technology is and will remain a critically important issue, with the ongoing development of fuel cells and hybrid technology growing strongly in recent years. The health risks associated with particulate matter, and tightening government regulations on pollutants give more immediate and practical implications to another alternative - the concept of “clean diesel” . This encompasses the use of diesel powered vehicles, which achieve up to 30% greater fuel efficiency than their gasoline powered counterparts, but also boast low-emissions through the use of advanced filtration. (read more...)
Volkswagen squeeze 52 miles from a gallon with new Golf BlueMotion
September 4, 2007 Toyota needed two whole engines to get 46mpg from their famous Prius hybrid, but Volkswagen have achieved over 52mpg by simply tweaking a few characteristics of its popular Golf diesel compact in the latest addition to the company’s environmentally-focused BlueMotion initiative. The Golf BlueMotion makes over 1200km from a 55-liter tank, showing that there’s further room for development from the combustion engine. (read more...)
MITSUBISHI Concept-cX 'Compact crossover' for Frankfurt debut
July 31, 2007 Mitsubishi will unveil the Concept-cX at the 62nd Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA; commonly known as the Frankfurt Motor Show) in September. The MITSUBISHI Concept-cX represents a new-generation compact SUV, and uses a new high-output, high-efficiency 1.8-liter clean diesel engine, featuring a variable geometry (VG) turbocharger for optimum boost control and a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) with diesel particulate filter (DPF) for compliance with Europe's Euro 5 emission standards. The company's new Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission) adds superior power transmission efficiency for a powertrain that delivers nimble performance alongside excellent fuel economy and low emissions. Among the number of new environmental technologies applied in the Concept-cX is the extensive use of interior trim materials made from Mitsubishi's own Green Plastic — made from bamboo and other plant-based resins. (read more...)
smart set to roll out a full complement of Alternative Drive Systems
July 10, 2007 Mercedes-owned smart is set to become the first mainstream production vehicle with a full complement of alternative drive systems. It has begun touting four new versions of the smart fortwo, all of which can be expected in production form before the year is out. We’re not sure which is the most exciting as they all offer different solutions depending on your needs. The cleanest of the new smarts is the 30 kW plug-in electric version with a range of 115 kilometres (EUDC), but there’s also a 100 mpg 53 kW diesel hybrid drive, a slightly less economical petrol hybrid for those who don’t want diesel, a 52 kW micro hybrid petrol variant and a diesel-engined fortwo which will become the world’s most economical combustion-engined production car with 85 mpg (3.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres - NEDC) and the ability to travel 1000 kilometres without refuelling. The smart fortwo diesel is the world champion in low CO2 emissions at just 88 grams of CO2 per kilometre. This is huge news. (read more...)
World’s most powerful production six-cylinder diesel introduced to BMW 6 Series
July 2, 2007 BMW has for the first time combined its twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder diesel with the marque’s flagship Grand Tourer in the form of the new 635d. Coinciding with the revamp of 6 Series model line-up to include Active Headrests, Brake Energy Regeneration and other fuel saving and emissions-cutting technology, the 635d Coupé and Convertible will hit showrooms in the UK in October with world’s most powerful production diesel under the bonnet. (read more...)
Acumentrics demonstrates extended operation of fuel cells on synthetic JP-8 diesel fuel
May 8, 2007 Acumentrics, a leading developer of solid-oxide fuel cells and uninterruptible power supplies for the distributed generation market, announced today that they have proven 1300 hours of fuel cell operation on synthetic JP-8 fuel. The synthetic JP-8 (“S-8”) Fischer-Tropsch fuel was provided by the Air Force Research Laboratory, and was produced as part of the DoD Assured Fuels Initiative. According to the company, this accomplishment marks one of the first fuel cell successes with heavy hydrocarbons in an extended run. Because Acumentrics’ ceramic fuel cells operate at high temperature, they accept lighter hydrocarbons such as propane and natural gas directly, and disassociate the fuel inside the cell, via in-situ reformation. For fuel cells to be of most use to the military, they must operate on heavy fuels. The heavy hydrocarbons in diesel and JP-8 require catalytic reforming before they can enter a cell. For this test the company employed a separate InnovaTek reformer (pictured). (read more...)
The world’s first horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine
February 8, 2007 In 1896, when Karl Benz patented the first internal combustion engine, it had horizontally opposed pistons, and the flat boxermotor (the German term for flat engine) has been powering some of the world’s best known automobiles (Porsche, Volkswagen’s Beetle and Kombi f’rinstance), motorcycles (Honda’s Goldwing and BMW’s mainstay Boxer range) and aircraft (Lycoming and Continental) ever since. Japanese automotive company Subaru has used the boxer design almost exclusively and is now pioneering a new phase for horizontally opposed piston engines with the release of the world’s first horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine. The Japanese all-wheel drive specialist will be displaying an entire drivetrain at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show next month. (read more...)
World’s first affordable diesel hybrid powertrain
December 14, 2006 Zytek has already proven its knowledge of powertrains and electric vehicle many times over, on and off the racetrack. Now, in collaboration with a UK Government initiative, the British engineering consultancy has developed a novel diesel hybrid powertrain that will be affordable in the most popular market segments. The new technology will allow vehicle owners to drive across London’s extended congestion charge zone for just four pence. The low-cost, high-efficiency hybrid-electric drivetrain offers a realistic alternative to expensive proprietary systems and can be quickly implemented within the packaging constraints of compact European passenger cars. A demonstration vehicle, built within the UK Government’s Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge (ULCCC), has exceeded all targets set for the programme, delivering an exceptional 85g of CO2 per km compared with 121g/km for the already exceptionally efficient standard vehicle. (read more...)
The first commercially-available diesel motorcycle
November 20, 2006 The sudden realization after several decades of evidence that the world is drowning in burned fossil fuels has catalyzed a lot of initiatives to reduce consumption and emissions, but few are as tantalizing as the prospect of diesel motorcycles which further enhance the already economical motorcycle to new levels of fuel efficiency and offer astounding torque and drivability. Though we have written about several production motorcycles such as the HDT military-only JP/8 and the Dutch-built Star Twin ThunderStar 1200 TDI diesel motorcycle, none have been available to the public in any quantity until this week’s news that a new diesel motorcycle from Holland has achieved production status and 500 will be built over the next two years. The Track T-800CDI is being produced by E.V.A. Products BV Holland and uses the 800cc three cylinder Daimler Chrysler diesel engine used in the smart fortwo diesel, military UAVs and marine applications, matching it with a CVT, frame, driveshaft, running gear and ECU produced in-house. The engine uses a turbocharged intercooled Commonrail direct injection engine and produces a whopping 150Nm of torque. It comes with three pre-programmed ECU settings enabling it to be switched to run on 100% Pure Plant Oil (such as sunflower oil) or into a highly efficient but lower power diesel economy mode. E.V.A. CEO Erik Vegt describes the bike as a “BMW GS killer with KTM LC8 drivability and Suzuki Hayabusa-like torque.” “It’s the ultimate long distance and long life motorcycle that can run on diesel fuel or 100% pure plant oil,” says Vegt. (read more...)
Honda shows next-generation diesel engine
October 2, 2006 Honda has developed a next-generation diesel engine that reduces exhaust gas emissions to a level equal to a petrol engine and expects to have the engine available in its U.S. market cars within three years. The engine employs an NOx catalytic converter that enables a reduction in NOx emissions sufficient to meet stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier II Bin 5 emission requirements. This catalytic converter uses the reductive reaction of ammonia generated within the catalytic converter to “detoxify” nitrogen oxide (NOx) by turning it into harmless nitrogen (N2). (read more...)
Subaru develops horizontally opposed Turbo Diesel engine
September 29, 2006 Subaru Europe President Hiroyuki Ikeda dropped an unexpected announcement in his Paris motor show speech when he mentioned that the company was working on a SubaruBoxer Turbo Diesel and that development is nearly complete. The horizontally opposed engine layout made famous by Volkswagen has long been favoured by Subaru and has been the mainstay of its fleet for more than three decades with its latest effort winning first place in the 2.5-liter class of the International Engine of the Year Awards. Though it’s logical that the company would develop the world’s first horizontally opposed diesel engine, there are many technical difficulties to overcome, so it was by no means regarded as a given. Anyway, we have the drawings in high res and we suspect it’ll be a beauty. (read more...)
The Audi Q7 V12 TDI - the world’s most powerful diesel passenger car
September 15, 2006 Audi is set to debut the first twelve-cylinder diesel engine in a series passenger car. A six-litre V12 will be available in the Audi Q7 that is reminiscent of the engine featured in the all-conquering R10 Le Mans racing car and it catapults the driving performance of the Audi Q7 SUV into the echelons of top-class sports cars. The V12 TDI engine produces a colossal 500 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque giving the car a 0 to 100 km/h time of just 5.5 seconds, and an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h. Maximum torque is available from just 1,750 rpm. The high-tech diesel engine, with the world’s first 2,000 bar Bosch Common Rail system, provides the high-performance Audi SUV with superior power reserves in any situation. The impressive sound of the new Audi is provided by the ultra-modern piezo-injection system. The V12 TDI transmits this power through a new six-speed tiptronic gearbox to the quattro permanent four-wheel drive system. (read more...)
Audi first to win international motorsport championship with a diesel engined sportscar
September 5, 2006 Congratulations to Audi on becoming the first car manufacturer to win an internationally recognised motor racing championship with a car powered by a diesel engine. Having made history by winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in June with its revolutionary Audi R10 TDI, Britain’s Allan McNish and Dindo Capello, of Italy, have added to the German manufacturer’s incredible 2006 success story to take the prestigious American Le Mans Series championship. That’s six starts and six wins so far and it’s a far cry from the until-recent perception of diesels as those rough-sounding, smelly, commercial vehicles that billow black smoke. (read more...)
JCB DIESELMAX pushes diesel record to 529 km/h … then 563km/h
August 25, 2006 Last Friday (August 18) , the JCB DIESELMAX broke the Bonneville record speed for diesel engines, setting a time of 317 mph. On Tuesday (August 22), the vehicle broke the FIA international land speed record for a diesel vehicle with 328.767 mph (529.099 kph) and beat the existing record by more than 100 mph. Returning to the Bonneville Salt Flats with its FIA sealed engines on Wednesday, things went even better. Running soon after daybreak driver Andy Green recorded 365.779mph (588.664kph) on his first run and 335.695mph (540.248kph) on his return, giving an average of 350.092mph (563.418kph). It was the third speed record achieved by the JCB DIESELMAX in only six days, and demonstrates the power and reliability of its Ricardo-developed engines. There’s a fascinating rundown on the technical development of the engines in PDF format available here. (read more...)
New V8 Diesel extends Range Rover Sport range
August 23, 2006 Since its debut in 2005, Land Rover’s most performance-oriented vehicle yet – dubbed a ‘sports tourer’ by the company – has been consistently in high demand, leading to waiting lists in many markets. Announced yesterday, a new and powerful, state-of-the-art TDV8 turbo diesel will become the fourth engine option for the Range Rover Sport, no doubt exacerbating the wait. With power and torque over 40 per cent greater than the TDV6 turbocharged diesel engine, but still achieving 25.5 mpg (11.1 litre/100 km) on combined fuel cycle, the new TDV8 is expected to extend the Range Rover Sport’s appeal still further. (read more...)
The Ecorider runs on diesel or homemade biodiesel
August 23, 2006 The Ecorider is a motorcycle like no other – for starters it’s a diesel, and hence a rare breed indeed. We only know of two other production diesel motorcycles, the Dutch Star Twin sports tourer and the military-only HDT, and they both have quite different roles to the Ecorider. Finally, it's not a motorcycle, or at least it isn't classified as one - it is classed under European Legislation as an ATV (Agricultural Type Vehicle) and in most countries (please check), you do not need a motorcycle licence to ride this vehicle. With rising demands on the Earth's vulnerable and finite resources, environmental concerns and increasing fuel costs, the Ecorider makes a lot of sense. It will deliver 120 mpg economy running on home-made biodiesel, and it is also deeply respectful of the environment as the wide tires offer a contact patch with just 2 PSI – given this equates to half the weight per square inch of the average human footfall, the bike actually does less damage than a human in the wilderness. Accordingly, the Ecorider’s reduced environmental impact is ideal for use in protected wilderness reserves, gardens, golf courses and other areas where ground damage needs to be minimal. Apart from being green, it’s also an ideal agricultural workhorse with a high and low ratio gearbox and a reverse gear. Throw in loads of rear wheel traction and a torquey diesel motor and the Ecorider offers an ideal platform for towing. It’s also VERY easy to ride and extremely forgiving, so it can be entrusted to novices and in the hands of an expert will go just about anywhere thanks to the 11 inch wide balloon tires. Extensive image library for this story. (read more...)
JCB DIESELMAX takes Bonneville Diesel Speed Record to 317mph
August 22, 2006 The international diesel land-speed record for diesel-powered vehicles moved a step closer last week as the JCB DIESELMAX broke the Bonneville Salt Flats course record with a measured-mile speed of 317mph. Having already achieved a recorded average speed over a measured mile of 308mph in the late afternoon of Thursday 17 August, the JCB DIESELMAX needed to complete a second run within a twenty four hour period at least matching this speed in order to take the record. On Friday, the second run was completed successfully achieving a speed of 325mph. The average speed of the two runs was thus recorded as 317.021mph, thus establishing the JCB DIESELMAX as the fastest-ever diesel over the Bonneville course. (read more...)
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