Achates Power recently unveiled a demonstration pickup truck featuring an opposed-piston gasoline compression ignition engine at the 2018 North American International Auto Show.
The Achates power opposed-piston (OP) engine is engineered to achieve superior thermal efficiency by virtue of its lower heat losses, improved combustion and reduced pumping losses.
The OP Engine eliminates the cylinder head for an improved surface-area-to-volume ratio of the combustion chamber for reduced heat transfer and rejection. In addition, conventional engine valvetrain and related components are eliminated, and due to the architecture the OP Engine offers a reduction in the aftertreatment system size and cost.
David Johnson, president and CEO, Achates Power, said: “Light trucks representing 41% of sales use 55% of the fuel use and emissions because they’re driven more miles per year and their fuel economy has the greatest potential for improvement. An opposed-piston Engine is 30-50% more fuel efficient than comparable diesel and gasoline engines, it is a no-excuses way to meet future efficiency and emissions standards.”
Fabien Redon, vice president, technology development, Achates Power, pointed out that while heavy-duty vehicles are expected to achieve million-mile durability over the most highly loaded duty cycles, light-duty cars and trucks have to meet cold-start emissions and operate under a broad range that includes low-speed, low-load conditions. They also have to account for stringent noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) requirements.
“An opposed-piston, gasoline compression ignition engine has the potential to be a game changer in the powertrain market, with very clean and efficient power. The combination of the two technologies could be the solution to pending emissions and fuel economy regulations and could very well be the internal combustion engine (ICE) that satisfies the challenges of ground mobility for decades to come,” said Redon.
