Vehicle Fuel Economy-High Compression Ratio and Supercharging Compared

A research programme has been carried out to investigate the fuel economy potential of a number of engine concepts both on the testbed and in a vehicle. A 1.5 litre high compression ratio engine with a High Ratio Compact Chamber (HRCC) and a mechanically supercharged 1.3 litre engine were compared with a conventional 1.6 litre engine. Each of the engines was developed on European Premium (97 RON) fuel to have the same torque curve shape and to meet the European ECE 15-04 emissions standard when fitted to a 910 kg vehicle. The results showed the HRCC engine concept to reduce fuel consumption by 10% and the supercharged engine by 3% compared to the conventional engine on the basis of equal fuel quality requirement.