Abstract
Vehicle Makers Enhanced Goals Improve Business Prospects of Advanced Automotive Gasoline Engine
Technologies
Vehicle makers in North America are setting stiff goals for themselves regarding their engines
performance and other key characteristics. These include satisfying emissions regulations, reducing
fuel consumption and manufacturing costs, maximizing reliability, horsepower, and torque, and
minimizing noise, vibration and harshness. Advanced engine technologies help manufacturers meet
these targets. For instance, certain valvetrain technologies can reduce emissions and fuel
consumption even while boosting performance. Meanwhile, turbochargers and superchargers increase or
maintain power output while decreasing fuel use through downsized engines. Electronic engine
management technologies control engine parameters for best emissions control, fuel consumption, and
performance, while air/fuel systems optimize an engines breathing. Gasoline-electric hybrid
technologies can save fuel in urban driving cycles, making gasoline engine-powered vehicles more
competitive than diesel-powered vehicles.
This Frost & Sullivan insight examines the status of North American advanced automotive
engine technologies with a focus on their benefits, drawbacks, and future trends. The analysis has
been segmented into valvetrain technologies, boosting technologies, electronic engine management
technologies, air/fuel systems, gasoline-electric hybrid technologies, and other advanced engine
technologies.
Vehicle Manufacturers Face a Quandary as Advanced Technologies Increase Cost, Complexity, and
Weight of Engines
Vehicle makers face tradeoffs in their technology choices as they have several conflicting
factors to consider. For example, they have to minimize costs as well as maximize reliability, while
somehow satisfying the customers performance expectations, but technologies that reduce emissions
and fuel consumption increase the complexity of engines and often harm performance. Engine builders
evaluate technologies in terms of their benefit/cost tradeoffs, as they work to find the most
effective and market-attractive technologies to deploy.
Although many customers demand less complexity and easy access to vehicle parts for maintenance,
trends suggest that vehicle powertrains are only likely to get more complicated in the long term.
"More hardware needs to be incorporated into engines for emissions, performance, and other
reasons," says the analyst of this research. "Aerodynamic and styling requirements can
also dictate packaging volume and hood lines and these needs are likely to cram the engine
compartment more."
Leading Vehicle Manufacturers Drive Uptake of Advanced Technologies by Incorporating them in
Engines
The Japanese Big 3 automakers -- Honda, Toyota, and Nissan to a lesser extent -- have been
especially aggressive in incorporating advanced technologies in production engines for the North
American market. BMW and Mercedes-Benz, two upscale European automakers, have also been at the
forefront of implementing certain gasoline engine technologies. "The North American domestic
Big 3 -- Chrysler Group, Ford Motor Co., and General Motors Corp. -- have largely lagged in
adopting most advanced engine technologies," observes the analyst. "Other, lower-volume
vehicle makers generally position themselves as followers rather than leaders."
Table of Contents
- 1. Executive Summary
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Gasoline Engine Background Analysis
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Trends in Powertrain Mix
- 3. Trends in Boosting Penetration
- 4. Trends in Layout and Cylinder Count
- 3. Advanced Technologies
- 1. Valvetrain Technology
- 2. Boosting Technology
- 3. Electronic Engine Management Technology
- 4. Air/Fuel Systems
- 5. Gasoline-Electric Hybrid Technologies
- 6. Other Advanced Engine Technologies
- 4. Engine Maker Directions
- 1. Domestic Big 3
- 2. Japanese Big 3
- 3. Other Engine Brands
- 4. Comparative Review
- 5. Frost & Sullivan Award
- 1. Excellence in Technology Innovation Award
- 2. Scope and Methodology
- 1. Research Scope and Objectives
- 1. Research Scope
- 2. Objectives
- 2. Method of Approach
- 1. General
- 2. Assumptions
- 3. Project Limitations
- 3. Gasoline Engine Background Analysis
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Macro Factors
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Regulatory Drivers
- 3. Energy Considerations
- 4. Socio-Cultural Issues
- 5. Economic Environment
- 3. Engine Builders Design Considerations
- 1. Performance Goals
- 2. Design Priorities and Tradeoffs
- 4. Trends in Powertrains
- 1. Trends in Powertrain Mix
- 2. Trends in Boosting Penetration
- 3. Trends in Layout and Cylinder Count
- 4. Trends in Displacement and Power
- 4. Engine Technology Analysis: Valvetrains
- 1. Background on Valvetrains
- 1. Background
- 2. Technology Options
- 2. Evaluation of Technology Advantages/Disadvantages
- 1. Overhead Cam/Multivalve
- 2. Variable Valve Timing
- 3. Variable Valve Timing and Lift
- 4. Cylinder Deactivation
- 5. Camless Valvetrains
- 6. Benefit:Cost Comparison
- 7. Technology Availability
- 3. Adoption Preferences/Directions of Key Engine Makers
- 1. Domestic Big 3 Trends
- 2. Japanese Big 3 Trends
- 3. Trends for Other Makes
- 4. Variations in Technology Adoption Preferences and Directions
- 1. Engine Family Variations
- 2. Vehicle Type Variations
- 5. Engine Technology Analysis: Boosting
- 1. Boosting Technology
- 1. Background
- 2. Technology Options
- 2. Evaluation of Technology Advantages/Disadvantages
- 1. Turbochargers
- 2. Mechanical Superchargers
- 3. Electric-Assist Turbochargers
- 4. Electric Blowers
- 5. Intercoolers
- 6. Benefit:Cost Comparison
- 7. Technology Availability
- 3. Adoption Preferences/Directions of Key Engine Makers
- 1. Domestic Big 3 Trends
- 2. Japanese Big 3 Trends
- 3. Trends for Other Makes
- 4. Variations in Technology Adoption Preferences and Directions
- 1. Engine Family Variations
- 2. Vehicle Type Variations
- 6. Engine Technology Analysis: Electronic Engine Management
- 1. Background on Electronic Engine Management Technology
- 1. Background
- 2. Technology Options
- 2. Evaluation of Technology Advantages/Disadvantages
- 1. Electronic Control Unit Upgrades
- 2. Sensor Advances
- 3. Ignition Upgrades
- 4. Real-Time Data Communications and Networking
- 5. Benefit:Cost Comparison
- 6. Technology Availability
- 3. Adoption Preferences/Directions of Key Engine Makers
- 1. Domestic Big 3 Trends
- 2. Japanese Big 3 Trends
- 3. Trends for Other Makes
- 4. Variations in Technology Adoption Preferences and Directions
- 1. Engine Family Variations
- 2. Vehicle Type Variations
- 7. Engine Technology Analysis: Air/Fuel Systems
- 1. Background on Air/Fuel System Technology
- 1. Background
- 2. Technology Options
- 2. Evaluation of Technology Advantages/Disadvantages
- 1. Port EFI Upgrades
- 2. Gasoline Direct Injection
- 3. Variable Intake Systems
- 4. Active Swirl/Tumble Systems
- 5. Electronic Throttle Controls
- 6. Advanced Combustion Concepts: Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition
- 7. Novel Engine Cycles (Atkinson and Miller)
- 8. Variable Compression Ratio Systems
- 9. Benefit:Cost Comparison
- 10. Technology Availability
- 3. Adoption Preferences of Key Engine Makers
- 1. Domestic Big 3 Trends
- 2. Japanese Big 3 Trends
- 3. Trends for Other Makes
- 4. Variations in Technology Adoption Preferences and Directions
- 1. Engine Family Variations
- 2. Vehicle Type Variations
- 8. Engine Technology Analysis: Hybrids
- 1. Background on Gasoline Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technology
- 1. Background
- 2. Technology Options
- 2. Evaluation of Technology Advantages/Disadvantages
- 1. Belt Alternator Starter Systems
- 2. Integrated Starter Generators
- 3. Gasoline Direct Injection Combustion-Assist Starting
- 4. Advanced Energy Storage
- 5. Various Other Enabling Technologies
- 6. Benefit:Cost Comparison
- 7. Technology Availability
- 3. Adoption Preferences/Directions of Key Engine Makers
- 1. Technology Penetration
- 2. Domestic Big 3 Trends
- 3. Japanese Big 3 Trends
- 4. Trends for Other Makes
- 4. Variations in Technology Adoption Preferences and Directions
- 1. Engine Family Variations
- 2. Vehicle Type Variations
- 9. Engine Technology Analysis: Other Technologies
- 1. Background on Other Technologies
- 1. Background
- 2. Technology Options
- 2. Evaluation of Technology Advantages/Disadvantages
- 1. Friction/Parasitic Loss Reduction
- 2. Upgraded Mechanical Components
- 3. Newer Materials
- 4. Advanced Emission Controls
- 5. Noise/Vibration/Harshness Management
- 6. Benefit:Cost Comparison
- 7. Technology Availability
- 3. Adoption Preferences/Directions of Key Engine Makers
- 1. Domestic Big 3 Trends
- 2. Japanese Big 3 Trends
- 3. Trends for Other Makes
- 4. Variations in Technology Adoption Preferences and Directions
- 1. Engine Family Variations
- 2. Vehicle Type Variations
- 10. Appendix
- 1. Abbreviations and Equations
- 1. Abbreviations
- 2. Compound Annual Growth Rate
- 3. Conversion Equations
- 2. Exchange Rates
- 11. Decision Support Database
- 1. Decision Support Database
- 1. Average Annual Household Expenditure
- 2. Average Annual Household Income
- 3. Average Disposable Income per Household
- 4. Nominal GDP
