Scania has been granted SEK 30 million (approx. EUR 3.3 million) by Sweden’s Strategic Vehicle Research and Innovation Initiative (FFI) to develop a biofuel engine for use in heavy commercial vehicles. The research is set to demonstrate how the best characteristics of the diesel and the Otto principle can be combined in an engine that can operate on both alcohol and gaseous methane based fuels.
The company will focus on developing an engine using sustainable biofuels that will combine the high energy efficiency of diesel (compression ignition) technology with the more efficient exhaust aftertreatment system of Otto (spark ignition) technology.
Scania’s Senior Vice President, Powertrain Development, Jonas Hofstedt said, “Such an engine will be optimal in responding to the challenge of achieving low emissions of greenhouse gases, combined with reduced emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulates.
“Public sector co-financing of our climate and environmental investments makes a good contribution to research that will lead to commercially viable engines with substantially higher efficiency and lower environmental impact than is possible with today’s technology.”
To complete this project, Scania is working with experts in combustion and emission technology at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Lund University and Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Jonas adds, “My hope is that our in-depth collaboration with three of our country’s leading institutions of engineering education will lead to a greater interest in studying combustion and emission reduction technology. Preserving and developing advanced expertise in these fields is crucial to the future competitiveness of the Swedish vehicle industry.”