BMW will sit back and wait on HCCI engines
While most of the major automakers are actively involved in developing HCCI engines, one prominent manufacturer is taking a wait and see attitude. Axel Rücker manager for Energy Integration Systems at BMW thinks that diesels still offer more potential for greater efficiency and lower emissions than HCCI. While General Motors has allowed us to drive HCCI prototypes and Mercedes-Benz showed a concept called the F700 at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW has not done any HCCI development yet. Ford and Honda are also both actively involved in working on HCCI as are many researchers at places like MIT and Purdue. [Source: MotorAuthority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Peter Schnack 11:20PM (3/19/2008)
Does the BMW 123 d have specifications that makes it comply with California emmission standards? I live in California and would love to buy that car.
I am somewhat confused about the model numbers. In Europe and Canada, the 123 d is a small 1 series "stationcar" with 5 doors. On some pictures from the US it looks like a sedan. This is confusing.
Peter
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Sam Abuelsamid 12:18PM (3/21/2008)
Peter, you are thinking of the 118d or 120d. The new 123d is only available on the new coupe body style.
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Paco 6:53PM (10/05/2007)
Maybe they should talk to VW about it. They have been using HCCI for a while now under the FSI naming convention.
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Sam Abuelsamid 7:56PM (10/05/2007)
Paco, VW does not have HCCI. There are no HCCI engines in production anywhere. The FSI engines are just standard spark ignition engines with direct injection.
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stevejust 7:59PM (10/05/2007)
Remember when BMW was taking a wait and see attitude on Hybrids, saying 'they'll never sell at significant numbers'? It does depend, to an extent, whether you're talking Europe or the US, but it looks to me like it was a bad move on their part.
By the time HCCIs come out, everyone that's not supergreen and reading this blog are going to be wanting to get a "hybrid" because of gas prices. It's sort of like compact flourescent bulbs, by the time they've hit the mainstream (approximately now), most ecos already have their eyes set on advancements in LED bulbs instead.
So there's going to be a bunch of people buying CFLs thinking they're green and ignoring LEDs. Granted, LEDs aren't quite ready for prime time, but they're getting closer every day.
I have a point, I swear: I commend companies for leading the way, instead of getting out of the way and following behind. BMW should learn to do some work.
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Dave 9:50PM (10/05/2007)
BMW bought into GM's dual mode hybrid technology.
And they will probably buy into HCCI if it proves worthwhile.
BMW is being frugal with its R&D money.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 12:44AM (10/06/2007)
As an independent carmaker (even though the largest one), BMW doesn't have the scratch to invest in HCCI.
But if you will recall, BMW also initially downplayed gasoline direct injection, saying Valvetronic made it unnecessary.
They had to play catch up once GDI was shown to be useful. And they'll have to play catch up on HCCI too.
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rgseidl 8:57AM (10/06/2007)
(a) HCCI is not limited to gasoline engines. There are well-developed strategies for using flameless combustion in part load to reduce engine-out PM and NOx. Honda's variation on the theme, called PCCI, is integral to its T2B5 diesel strategy.
(b) VW AG, like just about everyone else, does have a prototype system for volume ignition. They call it CCS and it is applied to diesel engines. VW claims it needs synthetic xTL fuels to work, but I suspect that's mostly because VW wants EU politicians to look to biofuels rather than auto makers to address the CO2 emissions issue. Other manufacturers can handle the mode transitions between volume ignition and conventional CI with regular diesel fuel.
(c) BMW has brought to market a number of fuel economy technologies, incl. stratified GDI, continuously variable valve lift and phasing and their Efficient Dynamics package. They are not investing heavily in gasoline HCCI because they don't need to and, because they are trying to rein in R&D and other spending to sustain their profitability in the long term.
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retro1011 7:55AM (10/08/2007)
When it comes to mpg, BMW is class leader in most of the segments they're competing in. Most people forget that.
They're doing a incredible job these days.
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Kenneth Rose 9:34PM (11/17/2007)
and BMW are a chain of fools, too.
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