Lotus has revealed some details about the Lotus Omnivore engine concept that it will be unveiling at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Omnivore runs on a two-stroke operating cycle that Lotus says is more suited to flex-fuel operations than conventional 4-stroke engines. It also has direct fuel injection, a system called Orbital FlexDI that allows fine-tuning the injection spray to help with HCCI (sparkless ignition) control. The engine uses a monoblock design that combines the block and head, thus eliminating the cylinder head gasket. This improves durability and reduces weight. The exhaust port has a charge trapping valve that allows assymetrical exhaust flow timing and a continuously variable exhaust opening point. A puck at the top of the combustion chamber moves up and down to alter the geometric compression, thus achieving variable compression ratio.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
Holla im first,
can dis engine can consider da proton next gen. engine???????
new engine for Exora, lol~
Such a new technology from our Proton subsidiary still where's actually the technology transfer? Tuned by Lotus Neo CPS. We deserved more.
is it suitable for diesel??? is it to use by proton?
they can do engine but never tried on proton?
nice!
Flexfuel is like having an engine which can run in different kind of fuel.. but not diesel, coz need higher conpression & turbo.
If i not mistaken this engine can run with Ethanol, bio-petrol or pure petrol.. Just refer back to Bently new car and you will know…
From the design picture, it seems this engine is more suitable for small sedan such like our Proton. Lotus have produce a lot of new engine, but the problem is not much ppl take it… remember, the more complicated the technology, the higher the cost and ppl may not want it…
designed is pattented ,maybe not all to be taken by clent, anypart if customer want, they have to have under licenced, have to pay lah.
l
hmm interesting Lotus is trying to develop lawn mower and grass cutter tech for mainstream apps. But two cyl motors are known for pollution and inefficient combustion since a certain portion of unburned fuel will escape along with exhaust gases. I wonder how Lotus has worked its way round tis problem. Another thing i read abt sparkless ignition, does tis mean diesel as one of the fuels for the flex fuel option?
sorry typo, not two cyl… two stroke
how nice if we can get the figures??bhp?torque??
hope proton redevelop savvy to something like fiat 500 with this engine…should be a hot seller…
Currently 2 stroke engine are becoming a dinosaur due to its polluting fumes and inefficiency ..
My highschool industrial arts textbook tells me that 4 stroke engines consists of 1) intake 2) compression 3) ignition 4) exhaust
Lotus 2 stroke is sparkless ignition (similar to diesel combustion)
may be the combustion and the ignition stroke (fuel injection) is lumped into one..thus only 2 cycle 1) Ignition 2) exhaust only? this may become more efficient and cut down on the pollution as compared to conventional 2 stroke…
To do this you need a high compression injector which are costly…
The engine sound will be like 'buzzing hornet'. I like it!!
thy will probably sell the technology to korean and chinese as its more profitable that way…
I love how the way it works.
This concept could have been a collaboration with Orbital Corporation, Australia, where they have two strokes orbital engine produced for motorcycles (Aprilia). The technology mentioned, Flex DI, HCCI are stuff from Orbital. Their two stroke engines are cleaner than the traditional two strokers, and they work similar the wankel rotary engine, but slightly different, thus Orbital. They maybe cleaner than four strokes. This has been around for quite sometimes. Only in concept for Lotus, but already in production for Orbital.
But two strokes motors are known for pollution and inefficient combustion since a certain portion of unburned fuel will escape along with exhaust gases.
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the type of 2 stokes that pollute the earths is the scavenging type…. that is the type that mix btwn burnt and unburnt fuel… but this type using direct injection, so, probably less or equal to 4 stroke…
i wonder how many cc lotus will develope in their debut at geneva, which will be held next week right?
paul, remember to get more details on this,ok??
thanks!
It's probably easier to equate this as a 2cyl as opposed to a 2-stroke in the conventional sense. The inefficiency in a 2-stroke is usually caused by an inaccurate mix of petrol and oil. Also mentioned is the direct-injection and HCCI. In a sense this works similar to a diesel however not suitable for diesel. HCCI can occur when the engine is at optimum operating temperature and fuel will combust under pressure creating more efficiency from less fuel injected into the chamber.