The pressure on auto manufacturers to sink CO2-emissions continues to increase steadily. With the CLEVER project, Empa, ETH Zurich, VW and Bosch are working together towards an innovate solution: the goal of the project is to develop a natural gas-electric-hybrid fuel cell that will be 20% more energy and regarding harmful carbon content emit 40% less CO2 than standard benzin cars. The research team has in the meantime already reached a first and important mile stone: the built parts of the prototype have been developed and were successfully put into operation on the engine test bench. The attempts show that the utilized innovative combustion processes - the direct injection of gas in the combustion chamber - yields a good fuel-air-mixture and a stabile burning with very minor pollutant emissions. The goal for the 2008 year is to optimize the combustion processes in regard to efficiency and pollutant emissions throughout the whole operational function of the motor.
- CLEVER motor on engine test bed in Empa laboratory
Project partner: AUE canton Basel-land and Basel-city, Industrial factory Basel, Gas Network Midland, BFE, Paul Scherrer Institute, Empa, sustainserv GmbH, Novatlantis
Contact: Dr. Patrik Soltic, Empa, patrik.soltic(at)empa.ch
