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| Lotus/Conti low CO2 project cuts emissions 15% | |
21 February 2008 |
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| Lotus Engineering and Continental's powertrain division have produced a 15 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from a downsized engine in their Low CO2 prototype family car project. The project, which Lotus began with Siemens VDO before that company was taken over by Continental, aims to demonstrate that smaller engines and lower emissions don't have to mean reduced performance in a standard family car. The project has used a five-door Opel Astra and replaced the conventional four-cylinder 1.8-litre engine with a three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine that uses "mild hybrid" systems, such as switching off the engine when it is idle. Other features of the prototype car include an innovative integrated exhaust manifold design, centrally mounted injectors, cam profile switching for lift and timing, and a high pressure fuel pump. The results indicate that the unit produces torque of 240 Nm, against the 175 Nm produced by the 1.8-litre engine, and power of 160 PS,. against 140 PS. The performance figures produced by the new unit exceed those of a notional 2.2 litre engine – GM discontinued the 2.2-litre powerpack for the Astra. On emissions, the unit achieved CO2 figures of 149 g/km, against the 1.8-litre engine's 175g/km. The work has been a joint development between Lotus in Norfolk, England, and Continental's facility at Toulouse in France. The programme has been supported by UK government money through the Energy Saving Trust's Low Carbon R&D Programme. Mike Kimberley, chief executive officer of Group Lotus, said: “The
most important part of this project is that the solution is a combination
of technologies that are available and can be implemented in next generation
models and with further work beyond the scope of this initial project,
dramatic reductions in CO2 can theoretically be achieved." |
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