Thin end of the wedge

摘要

Meeting fleet average CO_2 targets means that improvements in combustion engine efficiency have to come through more quickly than in the past. This means optimising everything, not just downsizing, deleting cylinders or hybridisation. The lubrication circuit is coming under closer scrutiny now. Variable flow oil pumps are becoming more common - only moving as much oil as you need, at the pressure you need, reduces parasitic losses. But there's an increasing focus on the oil itself. Reducing the viscosity reduces friction losses, which lowers fuel consumption. But only up to a point - go too far and the extra pumping losses cancel out some of the gains. Volatility is higher - that could increase evaporative emissions.