Watched a news feature on NHK World (courtesy of FTA of course). Seems there are exciting developments in the motoring world as demonstrated by Nissan and Mazda.
[SIZE=7][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)]Nissan’s new e-Power drivetrain lets you drive further on electric power without stopping to charge[/SIZE]
Nissan has unveiled details of its new e-Power drivetrain which will be fitted to the Nissan Note. The e-Power drivetrain combines a high-output battery to power the wheels, with a small gasoline engine that recharges it when necessary. The system helps to eliminate the need to recharge and plug in when you get home or are out on the road as instead you’ll be able to fill up at a fuel station to power the regular engine.
It differs from other hybrid cars in that others have an electric motor and an engine, but the engine is used to power the wheels at high speeds or when the battery level is low.
Nissan has also been able to produce a battery with more power than the one in the Leaf, but smaller in size, something it says the automotive industry as a whole has been trying to figure out for some time.
Because it’s just the electric motor that drives the wheels, power is delivered instantly and it gives out zero emissions. And as the engine is only occasionally used to recharge the battery, it can match conventional hybrid cars when it comes to fuel efficiency.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPSRE9e06wg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-wNWM9rwoY
http://europe.autonews.com/article/20180614/ANE/180619851/nissan-eyes-europe-for-epower-drivetrain
[SIZE=7][COLOR=rgb(65, 168, 95)]With Skyactiv-X, Mazda Seeks to Keep the Internal Combustion Flame Burning.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Mazda’s Skyactiv-X engine makes use of an extremely high compression ratio and a ridiculously lean air-to-fuel mix to combust gasoline under pressure like a diesel engine does. This is called homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI). The gearheads and tuners out there will know HCCI by a different name: knock.[/SIZE]
Under most conditions, knock is undesirable in gasoline engines because it tends to happen at the wrong point in piston’s travel, causing very bad things to happen to the engine’s reciprocating parts. What’s more, it’s notoriously hard to tune engines for HCCI because the timing of the knock is so unpredictable and heavily dependent on a variety of factors ranging from temperature, engine speed humidity, etc. However, Mazda’s system uses extremely precise application of fuel via direct injection, a swirling effect with the air in the cylinder and a perfectly timed spark to kick off the HCCI at exactly the right moment.
Basically, what Mazda has done is tune the engine’s compression to operate at just below the point where HCCI would occur. Then, at precisely the right moment, a spark plug kicks. The resulting explosion increases the heat and pressure in the cylinder just enough to cause HCCI to occur throughout the rest of the cylinder. Mazda calls this Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI), basically using that perfectly timed knock to its advantage. The result is a faster, more complete burn of the gasoline throughout the cylinder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2Mt-tkJ_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xUdast_RrQ
http://www2.mazda.com/en/next-generation/technology/
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/future-tech/whats-mazdas-clever-new-skyactiv-x-engine-drive
