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General Motors is undoubtedly in a troubling position at the moment. With bankruptcy filings imminent, if it hasn’t already happened, GM will have to make a big splash with new technology to remain a competitive organization. The Volt is a step in the right direction, but announcements this past week show that GM is still moving in the right direction.
The announcement was about the homogenous charge compression ignition engine (HCCI) and estimates are that the sparkles engine will increase fuel efficiency by about 15%. The HCCI is expected to reduce fuel consumption by igniting the air and fuel mixture with compression instead of with a spark. This will reduce pumping losses by burning fuel faster at lower temperatures and decreasing the loss of heat energy.
The engine would increase the fuel efficiency of GMs hybrid fleet, as well as their other extended-range vehicles as if it were using a diesel engine. The HCCI is close in matching the efficiency of the diesel engine, but does not require the expensive exhaust system that would allow diesel engines to remain below the accepted emissions level. The end result of a perfected HCCI engine is that GM will have efficient automobiles that can be sold in each of the 50 states. GM believes it can have a model for production in less than 10 years.
