While worldwide gasoline or petrol engines are the most
popular powertrain, in India and the European Union (EU), every second new car
is a diesel. According to Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and
services, outside these core markets of Indian and Europe, diesel is becoming
increasingly popular. In Japan, nearly every fifth new car now features a
hybrid powertrain. This makes the country the undisputed pioneer of
electrification. Powertrains that can drive on both gasoline and alcohol
(ethanol) are especially prominent in Brazil.
But there is definitely no match to gasoline engines as China
leads the field wherein nearly 100 pc of all new car purchasers choose a
gasoline engine. In the U.S. and Japan, the figure is roughly 75 pc. Engines
with port-fuel injection still feature in more than every second
gasoline-powered vehicle. Downsizing is becoming ever more popular, and with it
the efficient and economical Bosch gasoline direct injection systems. Combining
gasoline direct injection with downsizing can reduce fuel consumption by up to
15 pc. At the same time, turbocharging helps the engine deliver more torque,
especially at low engine speeds. This improves acceleration and adds to driving
enjoyment.
For diesel consumption, the United States, for example, is a
growth market. Bosch estimates that diesel's market share there will rise from
3 pc today to as much as 10 pc in 2018. In South Korea as well, diesel is
becoming more and more popular. For many Europeans, its benefits are already
clear: a modern diesel consumes as much as 25 pc less fuel than a comparable
gasoline engine, and delivers as much as 40 pc more torque.
In just a few years, registrations of hybrids will be
significantly higher outside Japan as well. Bosch forecasts that of a predicted
113 million total vehicles sold worldwide in 2020, 6.5 million will be strong
hybrids, 3 million will be plug-in hybrids, and 2.5 million will be
all-electric (assuming a total of 113 million vehicles sold in 2020). Even now,
Bosch is developing a broad product portfolio for this mass market. It ranges
from hybrid systems to plug-in hybrids and powertrains for all-electric
vehicles. In addition, Bosch is developing entry-level hybrids based on a 48-volt
electrical system.
Powertrains that can drive on both gasoline and alcohol
(ethanol) are especially prominent in Brazil but the second largest market for
this technology is the United States. The Bosch systems run on pure ethanol as
well as any mixture of ethanol and gasoline. Drivers are more independent,
since such a flex-fuel system allows them to choose the more affordable
ethanol.
Worldwide, CNG powertrains are becoming increasingly
popular. For ten years now, sales have been growing worldwide by 25 pc. In
South Korea, CNG-powered vehicles have already captured an 11 percent share of
the market. Bosch offers a complete system that allows vehicles to run on this
inexpensive fuel at all times. This is a significant advantage for drivers,
since CNG is up to 50 pc cheaper than gasoline, and can reduce CO2 emissions by
up to 25 pc.