Engine downsizing seen as key to future car market

The ever stringent CO2 emissions legislation will require vehicle manufacturers and engine suppliers to significantly improve average fleet emissions performance if car makers are to avoid heavy financial penalties from 2012. Car makers have to comply with EU CO2 legislation that demands that their average vehicle fleets achieve 130g /KM CO2 on a sliding scale of 65% in 2012 through to 100% by 2015. Failure to meet the targets means substantial financial penalties (of up to Euro 95 per vehicle for every gram over target).

Many VMs are actively pushing engine downsizing as an achievable way of meeting the targets. However simple downsizing is not easy. Customers want to drive cars that are safe, fun and frugal. Consequently turbo charging has been a major focus of attention. Small engines with latest level complex turbo and supercharger arrangements are already in the market but they are expensive to produce and package. The future seems to lie in hybrid turbo charging that overcomes the notorious and highly ineffective lag issues of standard turbo chargers without the cost or complexity of multi stage / twin turbo or supercharger solutions.
Whilst cars today use turbo charging in about 30% of all applications globally, this is forecast by Global Insight to more than double to over 72% by 2020. Honeywell, leading providers of turbo charging technology believe that electric turbos is the route ahead. In essence the growth can only be achieved by high tech new breed electric turbo charging allowing engine downsizing perfection: lower emissions and enhanced driving characteristics.