Why Large Engines Research Steps on the Gas

By Andreas Wimmer In order to meet ambitious environmental goals, research around the world must rise to the challenge of developing innovative and sustainable solutions in the areas of mobility, transportation and power generation. The question often arises in connection with electric mobility whether there will be any need to conduct research on internal combustion engines in the future. As practical as electric powertrains are for urban mobility, they do not provide a "one size fits all" solution. Internal combustion engines will still play a significant role in the coming decades, especially in response to demands for long driving ranges and heavy cargo loads. Research on passenger vehicles will focus above all on the best possible combination of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor (hybrid concepts). In addition to this electrification of the powertrain, the use of "e-fuels" (fuels produced using excess electricity from renewable energies) and the achievement of nearly zero emissions are key research topics. In contrast to the area of mobility, the picture is much clearer in regard to the future use of conventional internal combustion engines in large engine applications.