General Motors may get a boost from Honeywell
Turbocharging is likely to be all the range in the next few years as automakers try to improve the mileage of high volume vehicles with downsized engines. Ford has already announced big plans for its EcoBoost engines starting with the 3.5L V6 that launches next spring. Across town at GM, the upcoming Chevy Cruze will get a new 1.4L turbocharged and direct injected engine. Ford will buying turbos from Honeywell for the EcoBoost engines and the supplier is apparently also talking to GM about a supply. Turbocharged engines currently account for about 6 percent of U.S. vehicle sales, split between gas and diesel engines. Honeywell Transportation Systems CEO Adriane Brown expects that share to jump to 15-20 percent of new vehicle sales over the next five years. It seems likely that GM and others will add additional turbocharged gas engine applications over the coming years as an interim step until electrically-driven vehicles become more affordable.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jcwinnie 9:22AM (9/23/2008)
"It seems likely that GM and others will add additional turbocharged gas engine applications over the coming years as an interim step until electrically-driven vehicles become more affordable."
Affordable as defined by manufacturing rather than environmental cost, eh, Sam?
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Sam Abuelsamid 12:18PM (9/22/2008)
Affordable as in terms of the cost to buy. If people can't afford the purchase price of a battery powered car, it really doesn't matter how efficient it is. A few hundred or even thousand $100,000 Tesla Roadsters won't make any measurable impact on total fuel consumption. A few million cars with downsized and turbocharged engines using 15% less fuel will make a significant impact.
Rick 12:06PM (9/22/2008)
The 'rage' of turbos would increase the 'range' of cars I suppose.
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MattKelly 12:45PM (9/22/2008)
I'm excited about direct injection turbo charge--to me it seems a great step towards less gasoline usage and CO2 emissions. This is not the turbo-charger of the 80's thankfully. This and HCCI are two developing technologies that show at least what's still possible with ICE's.
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Woodenbee 2:02PM (9/22/2008)
I love my 2002 Turbo 1.8 beetle, its a little rocket and great on gas, now all they make are 2.5 litre beetles? whats that about, anyway. The only thing is it weighs 2900 lbs I believe, which is as much as an S10 pickup, imagine the performance I'd get if it wasn't built like a tank!!!
turbos are awesome and my car proves they can eliminate lag, so don't believe any of that rubbish when some moron trots it out, my dad rebuilt the turbo in his 1978 Saab himself, and while he was working on it it ran fine without the turbo on it, very under utilized power adder and fuel economy device.... as usual Detroit completely ignores them except as some gimmick on a few gas guzzling cars back in the 80's
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Bill 2:22PM (9/22/2008)
Haven't all production turbochargers required premium grade gasoline?
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Woodenbee 2:45PM (9/22/2008)
Wow Mrs. Doubtfire talking about fuel grades, answer = no they haven't, mine runs fine on 87, it's only recommended if you "chip it" which means your crazy enough to unleash the real power in your turbo and buy an aftermarket engine management CPU reprogrammed to use more of the Turbos power,
Woodenbee 2:42PM (9/22/2008)
I love my 2002 Turbo 1.8 beetle, its a little rocket and great on gas, now all they make are 2.5 litre beetles? whats that about, anyway. The only thing is it weighs 2900 lbs I believe, which is as much as an S10 pickup, imagine the performance I'd get if it wasn't built like a tank!!!
turbos are awesome and my car proves they can eliminate lag, so don't believe any of that rubbish when some moron trots it out, my dad rebuilt the turbo in his 1978 Saab himself, and while he was working on it it ran fine without the turbo on it, very under utilized power adder and fuel economy device.... as usual Detroit completely ignores them except as some gimmick on a few gas guzzling cars back in the 80's
Reply
f1tifoso 11:36PM (9/22/2008)
Wooden -
as far as bugs, they make 2.5's because product planning pre-dated the current fuel prices... Trust me, their current plans include
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