Samba de Honda: New FFV system for Brazil
Monday must have been "Engine Tech" day at Honda, seeing as they released info about their new clean diesel, Advanced VTEC, and the topic we're about to discuss: the new FFV system that'll be rolled out in Brazil later this year. Before we do that, we should mention that it isn't just automotive powerplants that received the laboratory love, as Honda also announced innovations for its motorcycle and power equipment engines, too. The White Lab Coat Brigade has certainly been keeping itself occupied.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. With its new flexible-fuel system, Honda believes that it has essentially conquered all the known drawbacks of using ethanol. Problems with cold starts, inconsistent performance, variations in fuel economy and emissions are all addressed with the new system. Designed to operate on fuel grades ranging from E20 all the way up to E100, the Honda FFV system analyzes the levels of exhaust gas concentration in the exhaust system to estimate what fuel blend is currently in the tank, and then adjusts accordingly. The result, according to Honda, is that its FFVs will have performance and fuel economy ratios that nearly equal those of their gasoline-only engines.
The two prototypes revealed today, a Civic FFV and a Fit FFV, seem to bear this out. The Civic, when running on E100, generates 140PS at 6,200 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm. Fill it with an E22 mix and theose numbers only drop to 138 PS and 172 Nm (this torque peak arrives at 5,000 rpm). With the Fit, it's more of the same. On E100, it makes 83PS at 5,700 rpm and 119Nm of torque at 2,800 rpm. On E22, it drops to 80PS and 116 Nm at identical engine speeds.
What does this all mean? It mean that Honda has positioned itself to be all things to all people in the next few years. Not sold on green tech? No problem, there's Advanced VTEC standing by. Into diesel? Its new clean diesel technology will pass US regulatory muster. Tree hugger? Technophile? You know about the already-available hybrid powertrain, and in '08, it'll be joined in the marketplace by a limited-production FCV. And if growing fuel is your thing, these new FFVs appear to be up to snuff (if Honda ever decides to offer them outside Brazil).
Honda's chess pieces are slowly moving into place. They've dipped a toe into all the technology pools, and should be able to capitalize if one emerges as the clear favorite among consumers.
What? No pure EV? Hey, nobody's perfect.
(Additional photos, press release after the jump)
Honda's Civic and Fit FFVs:
PRESS RELEASE:
Honda Develops Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) System For Introduction in Brazil in 2006
September 25, 2006– Honda Motor Co., Ltd., announced that it has developed a new flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) system that enables gasoline engine-based power plants to operate on either 100% ethanol or a wide range of ethanol-gasoline fuel mixtures.
Up to now, variations in the ratio of ethanol-to-gasoline have affected low-temperature startup performance, and caused variations in air-fuel ratio and engine output. This has made it a challenge to maintain stable dynamic performance, fuel economy and emissions levels. The new Honda system adapts to different ethanol-to-gasoline ratios by estimating the concentration of ethanol in the ethanol-gasoline mix in the fuel tank based on measurements of exhaust gas concentration in the vehicle's exhaust system. This provides the flexibility to adapt to ethanol-to-gasoline ratios of between 20% and 100%, while achieving outstanding fuel economy and dynamic performance on a par with a 100% gasoline-powered vehicle. In addition, a cold-start system utilizing a secondary fuel tank ensures reliable starts even at low ambient temperatures.
Bioethanol fuel, as used in Brazil and other countries, is made from plant sources such as sugar cane. Because plants absorb CO2 via photosynthesis, the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere from burning bioethanol fuel does not increase atmospheric CO2. This makes bioethanol fuel an effective means to combat global warming as well as an alternative to petroleum.
In late 2006, Honda plans to begin sales of FFVs in Brazil, where bio-ethanol has gained in popularity.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
AutoFan 12:42AM (9/26/2006)
This is exactly what I would expect from Honda. The company has a long history of technological innovation in its engines, and this is more of the same. Good for them for keeping their options open, and not painting themselves into a corner.
Reply
hmmm 12:44AM (9/26/2006)
THERE he is again ! is the photographer standing on a ladder or is he really that short ?
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Sajibaba 12:54AM (9/26/2006)
What's to say...Honda rocks! I'm ready to buy my first new car but all the advancements that Honda is doing in engine technology make me want to wait to see which they will roll out in the next few years (and which will make the most sense). Buying a new car now based on 100 year old engine technology feels a bit like buying a betamax (hopefully this will be an accurate analogy soon). Unlike US automakers, Honda seems to building their FFV's to actually use ethanol and not just serve as an alternative energy credit loop hole to make larger SUV's.
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Michael F 5:01AM (9/26/2006)
It is humbling that with all our Western bluster and pride on our technology, it is Brazil that is leading the way on bio-fuels.
Bio-fuels offer the benefits of the tried and tested IC engine but are not dependant on the Middle East. And they also release less CO2 overall. The adoption of dual-fuel systems, and a large scale initiative to launch bio-fuels across the US and the EU is what is needed in these days of unstable energy security.
Kudos to Honda for having the guts to be a pioneer, and eventually leader, in this new territory.
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MikeW 12:03PM (9/26/2006)
How do you fill the secondary gasoline tank?
is there a diverter valve in the fuel filler neck?
Those civic wheels look cooler than the US civic wheels.
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Greg A. 1:42PM (9/26/2006)
"What? No pure EV? Hey, nobody's perfect."
You don't consider a fuel-cell vehicle a pure EV? While plug-in EV's have a great advantage over hydrogen-fueled fuel-cell EV's in that the infrastructure to "fuel" them is already in place, I think it's fair to say that since all of the major auto manufacturers have given up on further development of plug-in EV's, they won't pan out.
#4 "It is humbling that with all our Western bluster and pride on our technology, it is Brazil that is leading the way on bio-fuels."
Brazil makes its alcohol from sugar cane, which it grows a lot of, so it makes macroeconomic sense for them to promote that rather than petroleum-derived fuels. Nonetheless, the latest Autoblog Reader Ride of the day is a Ford Ka in Brazil that has been converted to run on compressed natural gas because CNG is one-third the price of ethanol in Brazil.
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Greg A. 1:54PM (9/26/2006)
Whoops, never mind that last sentence. The other Autoblog entry I referred to actually says that in Brazil, CNG is one-third the price of gasoline, not ethanol.
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Dear Mr.
How are you !
First of all, you are kindly introduced that our Chongqing Big Science & Technology Development(Group) Co., Ltd is a professional manufacturer and supplier who is devoted to research and develop high quality CNG series 2 & 3 & 4 wheels vehicles for market through its base of Chongqing China.
Currently, we are doing manufacture and supplying our these new type high quality CNG 2 wheels motorcycle,which is our Patent products to your market:
We are top professional CNG products manufacturer and supplier in China.
We recommend our patent products which BGMT brand CNG motorcycle with CKD term and CBU term.
For the CNG 2 wheel motorcycle characteristic:
1, Safety and Reliablity:
CNG Cylinder had passed NZ5454, which can bear 350 KG atmospheric pressure, Nominal working pressure is 20 MPa. Manufacture stardand of CNG conversion kit is ISO15500, our patent has unique technology wordwide,
2, Applicability:
CNG motorcycle can run 100km if you once fill the gas fully,the CNG motorcycle shape like fashionable model(such as CD 70 type ,CG 125 type and Tailand Honda) it is very beautiful and very suitable for local custom. The new technology have very capacious foreground, it can bring you very infinite business chance,and we have no agent until now,we are searching our best nice business partner,hope we can cooperate with you and set up long term business relation.
For the target of us above, we are currently looking for the good business and professional partner to promote our these CNG 2 wheels motorcycle very well also target for assembling them locally for ensureing large order quantity and profit for two sides.
Of course, your background and position of business line has been our preferred one of them. so, it will be much appreciating for us to get any advice from your side promptly.
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Thanks
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E-mail : jinsong@china-cng.net ; jin@chinacngbus.com ; jin@atv-big.com
Mr.Weilin Lee
China Chongqing Big (Group) Co. Ltd
(branch No.4 )BIG CNG Compressor Manufacture factory
(branch No.5 )Chuanjiang automobile Manufacture factory
Chongqing Big Science & Technology Development Co. Ltd (Big Group I/E Dept. )
Telephone: +86-23-67635049 ;+86-23-67635035 -(operate)- 605;(office)
Fax:+86-23-67635036; MSN: liweilin2003200@hotmail.com
http://www.chinacngbus.com
http://www.made-in-china.com/product.do?action=list&prodLibFlag=0010
Http://www.china-cng.net
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