Mexican Media Brands
Is the Opposed-Piston Engine Becoming More Real?
Achates Power has been working on its opposed-piston engine technology—which it claims is more cost effective than a traditional engine (thanks, in part, to the elimination of such things as a cylinder head and valve train), easier to produce, and potentially “approximately 50% more efficient than today’s gasoline engines” (the Achates engine runs on gasoline, diesel, natural gas. . .)—since 2004.
.jpg;width=70;height=70;mode=crop)
Share
Achates Power has been working on its opposed-piston engine technology—which it claims is more cost effective than a traditional engine (thanks, in part, to the elimination of such things as a cylinder head and valve train), easier to produce, and potentially “approximately 50% more efficient than today’s gasoline engines” (the Achates engine runs on gasoline, diesel, natural gas. . .)—since 2004. The company has developed plenty of demos and has received a respectable amount of outside investment.
It just may be that the opposed-piston engine may be getting closer to reality.
The reason? Eaton, which has provided its TVS air pumps to several Achates prototypes, announced today that it will be providing the air pumps for an engine that Achates will be running in a Class 8 commercial truck that is part of a demonstration program run by CALSTART, part of a $9-million grant funded by the California Air Resources Board.
This setup is expected to achieve a 90 percent reduction in NOx and as much as a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy.”
Assuming that numbers like that are hit, it would be hard to imagine that the Achates engine wouldn’t go commercial.
The TVS, incidentally, provides precise airflow into the engine, which is critical for the overall performance.
And the fact that Eaton is a company that produces products in volume (it has 2017 sales of $20.4-billion) indicates that it probably sees quite a positive upside for this new engine technology.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Multiple Choices for Light, High-Performance Chassis
How carbon fiber is utilized is as different as the vehicles on which it is used. From full carbon tubs to partial panels to welded steel tube sandwich structures, the only limitation is imagination.
-
Mustang Changes for 2018
On Tuesday Ford unveiled—using the social media channels of actor Dwayne Johnson (this has got to unnerve some of the auto buff book editors)—the 2018 Mustang, which has undergone some modifications: under the hood (the 3.7-liter V6 is giving way to a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four, and a 10-speed automatic is available), on the dash (a 12-inch, all-digital LCD screen is available for the dashboard), at the tires (12 wheel choices), on the chassis (MagneRide damper technology is being offered with the Mustang Performance Package), and on the exterior (three new paint colors). And while on the subject of the exterior, there are some notable changes—a lower, remodeled hood, repositioned hood vents, new upper and lower front grilles, LED front lights, revised LED taillamps, new rear bumper and fascia.
-
Ford Copies Nature
As Nature (yes, capital N Nature) has done a pretty good job of designing things, it is somewhat surprising that Man (ditto) doesn’t follow Nature’s lead more often when it comes to designing objects.
