Hotfire gets a boost from Ricardo

Ricardo’s Syner-D programme gives a pointer to how JaguarLandRover’s next-generation Hotfire engine could progress towards meeting Euro 6 emissions requirements and CO2 reductions of over 30 per cent.

The Syner-D project, partly funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the UK’s innovation agency, had as its main aim: to deliver a premium vehicle demonstration vehicle offering a CO2 reduction of 30 per cent, Euro 6 tailpipe emissions and suffering no compromise in transient variability and overall performance.

The three-year programme included input from JLR, Valeo, SKF, Shell and Lontra.

Volvo video highlights KERS

A short video on the directorstalk.com website posted on 20 April 2013 in conjunction with Volvo Cars highlights the benefits of the Torotrak/Flybrid Kinetic Energy Recover System (KERS).

The flywheel KERS is fitted to the rear axle. During retardation, the braking energy makes the flywheel spin up to 60,000 rev/min. When the car starts moving off again, the flywheel’s rotation is transferred to the rear wheels through a specially designed transmission.

The fuel consumption can be reduced by some 25 per cent. Also, the power of the engine is boosted and the car’s acceleration improved.

Torotrak: where to now?

Torotrak has a new CEO. Is the company now about to deliver the goods, or is a long wait still in prospect?

Many are the explanations why chief executive officers leave their companies. Some, like bankers, do so after feeling the ire of public, shareholders or government. Others feel they have reached the end of the road in what they can achieve. Others are tempted by the prospect of new challenges.

Only Dick Elsy knows the real reason for leaving transmission innovator Torotrak plc to join the High Value Manufacturing – Catapult from the first of  this month as chief executive officer, replacing the interim CEO. This particular Catapult first opened in October 2011.

Elsy is replaced as CEO by Jeremy Deering, Torotrak’s finance and commercial director; he has been with Torotrak since 2006.