Turbocharging is likely to be all the range in the next few years as automakers try to improve the mileage of high volume vehicles with downsized engines. Ford has already announced big plans for its EcoBoost engines starting with the 3.5L V6 that launches next spring. Across town at GM, the upcoming Chevy Cruze will get a new 1.4L turbocharged and direct injected engine. Ford will buying turbos from Honeywell for the EcoBoost engines and the supplier is apparently also talking to GM about a supply. Turbocharged engines currently account for about 6 percent of U.S. vehicle sales, split between gas and diesel engines. Honeywell Transportation Systems CEO Adriane Brown expects that share to jump to 15-20 percent of new vehicle sales over the next five years. It seems likely that GM and others will add additional turbocharged gas engine applications over the coming years as an interim step until electrically-driven vehicles become more affordable.
General Motors may get a boost from Honeywell originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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