Diesel Technology Breakthrough!
New Bosch technology claims to fix diesel’s NOx problem
The future for diesel cars is FAR from over.
Bosch says it has developed a solution that significantly reduces NOx output in diesel engines to nearly a tenth of future limits thanks to new turbo and airflow-management tech
Bosch is claiming a possible breakthrough in the management of diesel emissions, enabling diesel cars to undercut future limits for nitrogen oxide (NOx) by almost 90 per cent.
The new technology manages exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and uses ‘optimised’ turbochargers.
The system minimises EGR temperature losses by packaging it as close to the engine as possible, vastly improving the EGR’s efficiency.
It is effective as soon as a car is started and works at all engine speeds, allowing it to operate effectively both when engines are cold, and during urban driving.
The system is also effective when drivers accelerate quickly.
It’s not possible to retrofit the technology to older cars but the system is based on already-existing components and is available immediately, which means it can be incorporated into VM production plans.
Future for diesel
Announcing the breakthrough at the company’s annual press conference, Bosch’s chief executive, Dr Volkmar Denner, said: “There’s a future for diesel.
“Today, we want to put a stop, once and for all, to the debate about the demise of diesel technology.”
He added: “We firmly believe that the diesel engine will continue to play an important role in the options for future mobility.
Denner said electric cars had a fundamental role to play in future transport, but “until electromobility breaks through to the mass market, we will still need these highly efficient combustion engines.”
Currently, cars must not emit more than 168mg/km of NOx.
In 2020, the limit will reduce to 120mg/km in real-world driving tests, and 80mg/km in lab assessments.
However, the new technology developed by Bosch allows a diesel VW Golf to emit just 13mg/km of NOx in mixed driving conditions, measured using the latest RDE paradigms.
Bosch certainly seem to have the confidence in their technology developments to assure motorists of the future of Diesel. Although the UK government have placed a future date for stopping production of diesel engines here at BTE we ask, will this be enough to encourage them to re-think their plans?
