Meeting future emissions standards with diesel SUVs

AVL List believes that diesel engines could be one way to improve the environmental acceptance of sport utility vehicles.

Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) powered by diesel engines are becoming increasingly popular in Europe for their enhanced fuel economy combined with increased driveability and driving comfort. In the U.S. this vehicle class, though mainly powered by gasoline engines, is even more popular than in Europe. With the announcement of new exhaust emissions regulations in both the U.S. and Europe, new directions in diesel engine and exhaust emissions-control technology have been pursued for this vehicle segment.

An ongoing joint research project at AVL List GmbH is focusing on the effectiveness of several new technological features for reducing emissions in a demonstrator high-speed direct-injection (HSDI) diesel engine in an SUV. The emissions-reduction strategy is to reduce NOx with advanced engine technologies and reduce particulates with a filter.