Regional Market Effects on Opportunities for Emerging Engine and Powertrain Technologies

This paper examines the benefit achievable with advanced engine technologies as “drop-in” substitutions for existing engines, as well as the opportunity for increased electric hybridization of the powertrain, for several major markets. This study evaluates key segments of light duty vehicles for several markets including US, China, EU, Japan, and India. Representative vehicles for each market were simulated using advanced vehicle modeling tools. For each market, the local regulatory cycles are employed to quantify the fuel economy benefits. This study aims to identify the powertrain and engine technology combination that is best suited for each market and vehicle segment. The focus of this paper is to estimate the fuel economy benefits that can be achieved with these technologies, while maintaining the typical performance requirements observed in each market. Additionally, to understand the potential impact of regional and seasonal variations in ambient temperature, a simple assessment of the impact of increased cabin heating and cooling loads was conducted. In total, 11 engines technologies and 5 powertrain architectures were simulated for 5 different markets. Results showed that opportunities exist for improving the drive cycle fuel economy of these mass market vehicles through alternate engine technology and increased levels of electric hybridization.