Chrysler 2010 Annual Report Download - page 50

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Second generation MultiAir® technology for gasoline engines. In 2010, production began on the
two-cylinder TwinAir engine, which incorporates MultiAir® technology. For the future, several areas of
development have been identified for the second generation of MultiAir® engines, such as: introduction of
new valve activation methods and new combustion control strategies to further reduce consumption and
emissions; integration of the MultiAir® technology with direct fuel injection to improve the responsiveness of
the cylinders and, consequently, reduce consumption. Also planned is the introduction of new software
for calibration of MultiAir® engines to reduce development times, in addition to advanced turbo-charging
technologies that maximize synergies through integration with the MultiAir®.
Heavy Duty Cursor 8 engine fueled with pure bioethanol. Over the past ten years, the market for
bioethanol-powered passenger cars in Brazil has grown significantly. Recently, interest has also expanded
to industrial and off-road application as bioethanol produced from sugar cane in Brazil satisfies all the
requirements to be considered a true fuel alternative (economic, from renewable sources, not in competition
with the food supply chain, readily available, etc.). One of the most promising applications is the sugar cane
harvester, an off-road vehicle that requires high engine performance. To meet that need, CRF took the
well-proven Cursor 8 spark ignition CNG engine and modified the fuel system and compression ratio to
adapt it for use with bioethanol, resulting in a prototype capable of achieving power output of 243 kW. This
system is currently being mounted on the vehicle to conduct field tests, with a view to scale production of
this engine, which will provide a 50% reduction in Well-to-Wheel impact and a 70% reduction in running
costs compared to the conventional diesel version.
Twin Clutch Transmission on the Alfa Romeo MiTo. The twin clutch transmission consists of two parallel
gear sets, one for the odd gears and the other for the even gears, each with its own clutch. The distinctive
feature of this system is that the gear shift takes place without disengaging the gears, providing continuous
traction to the wheels. This makes the twin clutch transmission more comfortable and efficient than an
automated manual transmission (AMT) and equivalent, or better, than a conventional automatic transmission
with torque converter. The Twin Clutch technology developed by Fiat Group in recent years is based on
dry clutch technology, which offers improved fuel consumption. The C635 Twin Clutch transmission (TCT)
was introduced for the first time in 2010 on the Alfa Rome MiTo together with a 135 hp 1.4 Fire MultiAir and
Start&Stop system. With this enhancement, the MiTo TCT achieved an official CO2 emissions level of 126g/
km, which is well below the manual version and unachievable with a conventional automatic transmission.
Further development of CNG/hydrogen blends. The objective of the “green corridor” initiative, promoted
by Autostrada del Brennero (operator of the A22 in Italy), is to study the distribution and use of renewable
source fuels along the 650km stretch of freeway between Munich and Modena. CNG/hydrogen technology
is of great interest to the A22 operator, because it will make investment in development of the hydrogen
production and distribution infrastructure possible. The hydrogen used to produce this blend will come from
surplus energy produced by a hydro-electric powerplant located along the route. During 2010, CRF’s Trento
facility, in close collaboration with FPT Research & Technologies, Iveco and Officine Brennero, successfully
achieved the objectives of the project, including modification of the key components of the fuel storage
and distribution system, and development and calibration of an engine to use a CNG/hydrogen blend. Also
at the Trento facility, an info-telematic application based on the Blue&Me™ platform was developed which
enables the vehicle’s position to be traced via GPS and data to be retrieved from the engine control unit. By
registering the details of the CNG/hydrogen blend used to refuel, the application is also able to estimate the
remaining fuel range and the benefits in terms of CO2 reduction. Following type approval and testing at the
Trento facility, an Iveco Daily CNG/hydrogen prototype will be delivered to the A22 operator in 2011.