Passenger car fuel efficiency: technologies and trends to 2015

SUMMARY

This report examines the technologies that are being developed to improve fuel efficiency in passenger cars. It also analyses the market and legislative influences that are driving developments in the sector.

The automotive industry is currently coming under intense pressure to reduce the CO2 emissions that result from the combustion of fossil fuels. This report examines the technologies that are being developed to improve fuel efficiency in passenger cars. It also analyses the market and legislative influences that are driving developments in the sector.

Chapters include:

• Introduction
• Market drivers
  • Regulations
  • Incentives
  • Consumer preferences
• Market barriers
  • Cost
  • Market mix
  • The growing global vehicle fleet
  • Supply and infrastructure issues
• Technology developments
  • Engines
  • Hybrids
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Fuel cell vehicles
  • Efficient ancillaries
  • Transmissions
  • Weight reduction
  • Aerodynamics
  • Lighting
  • Tyres
  • Driving aids

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Market drivers

• Regulations
• Europe
• The United States
• Japan
• Other countries

• Incentives
• Consumer preferences
• Market barriers

• Cost
• Europe
• The United States

• Market mix
• Europe
• The United States

• The growing global vehicle fleet
• Supply and infrastructure issues
• Technology developments

• Engines
• Supercharging
• Variable valve operation
• Direct fuel injection
• Miller/Atkinson combustion cycles
• Stratified charge combustion
• Controlled auto-ignition
• Homogeneous charge compression ignition
• Spark plugs
• Variable geometry
• Radical designs
• Idle-stop
• Cylinder deactivation

• Hybrids
• Electric hybrids
• Plug-in hybrids
• Pneumatic hybrids
• Hydraulic hybrids
• Kinetic hybrids

• Electric vehicles
• Batteries
• Fuel cell vehicles

• Efficient ancillaries
• Integrated starter alternator damper
• Belt-driven alternator starter
• Power steering

• Transmissions
• Manuals and automated manuals
• Planetary automatics
• Continuously-variable transmissions
• Market forecasts

• Weight reduction
• Steel
• Cast iron
• Aluminium
• Magnesium
• Plastics
• Hybrid construction

• Aerodynamics
• Lighting

• Tyres
• Low rolling resistance
• Tyre pressure monitoring systems
• Driver aids