DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cx5l54/2011_original_equi) has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "2011 Original Equipment Manufacturers Strategies for Passenger Vehicle Engine Downsizing in Western Europe" to their offering.
Suppliers With Complete Powertrain Development And Benchmarking Capabilities To Gain Significance:
The engine downsizing trend is a key powertrain strategy followed by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) towards emissions compliance. This study aims to bring forth the key engine families and their specifications from a downsizing perspective, using information obtained through interviews with industry experts. Furthermore, engine downsizing trends specific to both gasoline and diesel are analysed in detail, along with their impact on different market segments.
Market Overview:
Engine Downsizing Set for Increased Penetration across Gasoline Engines
Engine downsizing, which has been a major trend in European diesel engines over the past decade, is poised to have a major impact on gasoline engines, which will witness the trend that diesel engines did in terms of engine downsizing and turbocharging 10 years ago. This trend will also have a positive impact on the demand for technologies supporting downsizing such as turbochargers and variable valvetrain.
Due to comparatively lower CO2 emissions, diesel engines will not face a challenge in complying with CO2 limits; hence, the limitations in downsizing diesel engines will not be an issue, notes the analyst of this research. Reducing the level of downsizing will also help control NOx emissions from these engines, which are being tightened for Euro 6 (to be enforced in 2014). The number of cylinders in gasoline engines is likely to decrease only for engines below 1.2 litres. About 35-38 per cent of gasoline engines are likely to be turbocharged by 2018. This high level of turbocharging by European OEMs is likely to help in market growth of boosting technologies. Legal regulations and end-consumer environmental awareness will motivate the sales of vehicles with small engines. For example, the car scrappage schemes in 2009 reduced the average displacement of engines in Western Europe. Such initiatives will help boost engine downsizing.
Engine Downsizing Could Potentially Increase Costs in Cases Where Additional Technologies are Used
The addition of supporting technologies such as turbochargers and variable valvetrain technologies are expected to drive costs and this is likely to impact take-up rates in cost-sensitive segments. Downsizing engines results in lower torque output from the engine and, hence, lower transient response. While variable geometry turbocharging (VGT) is a good solution to improve torque output, introducing VGT at a low cost for gasoline engines will be a challenge. In diesel engines, aggressive downsizing results in higher specific load and, therefore, increased NOx emissions, explains the analyst. This, in turn, will have an effect on cost as NOx after-treatment technologies such as SCR are expensive.
OEMs are likely to experience higher sales of low CO2 emitting vehicles and thus pass on the tax benefits to the end-consumer. This offers excellent scope for selling low emission models such as Ford Focus, Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Golf and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa. With improved emissions and performance, without drop in fuel economy, being the key drivers, engine downsizing is all set to have a major impact towards achieving emissions of <120 g/km CO2 in two-thirds of new car sales by 2016, concludes the analyst.
Key Topics Covered:
1. Executive Summary
2. Engine Downsizing Trends in Western Europe
3. Downsizing of Gasoline Engines
4. Downsizing of Diesel Engines
5. Strategies Adopted for Engine Downsizing by OEMs 55
6. Certification and Disclaimer
7. Appendix
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cx5l54/2011_original_equi
Source: Frost & Sullivan