Mitsubishi 2000 Annual Report Download - page 24

■Fuel efficiency enhancing technologies
MMC has long been a leader in the development of technolo-
gy that squeezes more miles per gallon of fuel, helping to
conserve finite global resources and reduce emissions.
Direct-injection diesel engines
Achieving higher thermal efficiencies, superior fuel econo-
my and lower CO2emissions than other types of internal
combustion engine, direct-injection diesels have a major role
to play in alleviating global warming.
The superior fuel economy returned by the direct-injec-
tion diesel engine significantly boosts the competitiveness of
commercial vehicles. MMC has used direct-injection diesels,
which feed fuel directly into the cylinders, for the past 26
years and has significantly improved fuel economy while
achieving compliance with emissions regulations.
MMC uses a new direct-injection diesel to power the lat-
est Pajero passenger model launched in September 1999.
Combustion efficiency is improved through the use of a 4-
valve cylinder head, a new combustion chamber design and
an optimized high-pressure fuel injection system. The result
is more power together with a 27% improvement in fuel con-
sumption, thereby making an important contribution to re-
duction of CO2emissions.
MVV gasoline engine
Completely re-developed for use in minicars, where econo-
my is a major factor in the purchasing decision, MMC's lean-
burn MVV (Mitsubishi Vertical Vortex) engine is the stan-
dard power unit in all Mitsubishi minicars produced after
October 1998. Employing the mixture formation and com-
bustion control technology fostered in the development of
the GDI engine, the low-cost new-generation MVV engine
returns improved fuel economy without the need for addi-
tional devices.
INOMAT smart mechanical automatic transmission
MMC first fitted the Intelligent & Innovative Mechanical
Automatic Transmission, which uses fuzzy logic control
technology, to 1996 model-year Fuso heavy trucks. This
smart automatic transmission not only reduces driver fatigue
and stress, it also extracts the full performance of
Mitsubishi's clean and powerful direct-injection diesel en-
gines to realize superior fuel economy. INOMAT is today
available on Super Great heavy truck models with up to 16-
speed transmissions and, since 1999, on Fighter medium
trucks.
Weight reduction
MMC is an industry leader in the development of rational
structural designs that are light in weight. Advanced comput-
er analysis enables the use of aluminum and plastic to re-
place steel.
With trucks in particular, reducing vehicle weight in-
creases payload capacity, and makes the vehicle more com-
petitive. The 1998 "Rakusho" heavy dump truck was the first
in Japan to have the dump mechanism mounted directly on
the chassis, eliminating the need for a sub-frame. The lower
vehicle weight and floor resulting from this innovation real-
ized an increase in payload capacity of 800kg.
Reducing engine, cab and chassis weight in heavy trucks
launched in 1999 has made it possible to keep vehicle
weights at the same level as, or under, those of 1997 models
despite the weight increases accompanying changes required
for compliance with Japanese Long-term Emission regula-
tions and mid-term brake regulations.
Despite sporting a larger body, the new Pajero launched
in 1999 weighs in 100 kg lighter than its predecessor as a re-
sult of innovative changes to the body structure.
Aerodynamic drag
Aerodynamic drag is a significant factor in fuel economy at
higher road speeds. MMC actively incorporates results of
wind tunnel testing and computer analysis in the design of
new models.
■Air pollution mitigation
Higher traffic and population densities make the mitigation
of urban air pollution an urgent task. MMC is at the forefront
in this field too.
Gasoline exhaust emissions
MMC conducts on-going R&D directed at improving control
of the combustion process and catalytic converters in order
to meet increasingly stringent emission levels around the
Environmental stewardship & technology
22