Volvo has unveiled its “High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept” – a triple-charged 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol engine prototype that produces “no less than 450 hp.”
That’s an astounding 225 hp per litre of displacement, almost double the output of the 2.0 litre T5 Drive-E and even more than that of the new XC90’s 2.0 litre T8 twin-charged plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The new engine features two parallel turbos which are fed by an electrically-operated turbo compressor (Kia and Audi are also working on electrically-driven forced induction systems, both on diesel engines).
Instead of pushing compressed air into the cylinders, the compressor is used to quickly spool up the turbos, minimising the lag usually associated with a parallel turbo system. Fuel is fed by a dual fuel pump working at 250 bar pressure.
Volvo says the powertrain concept has attracted suppliers such as AVL, Denso and Volvo Polestar Racing at an early stage, and this has allowed critical knowledge and technologies gained from racing to trickle into the development process.
“When we launched the Drive-E powertrain family, our aim was to deliver the most advanced four-cylinder engines in the industry based on emissions and fuel consumption relative to performance and drivability. We knew that 320 hp in our petrol configuration was just a starting point,” said Volvo R&D senior vice-president Dr Peter Mertens.
“It may sound odd, but this 450 hp powertrain concept is an important part of the Drive-E development programme. Downsizing must offer customers attractive and usable power for broad scale emissions reduction to work. Compact powertrains free up space and weight in the structure of the car, which can be used for electrification and even further emissions reduction. And that is our ultimate ambition.”
“This was a very exciting project as we pioneered a combination of technologies in the same application, and the result is a quite unique engine with its high power yet quick response,” said Volvo Polestar Racing race engine director Mattias Evensson.
“Above all, its compact size improves weight distribution between the front and rear axle and lowers the centre of gravity – two factors that have a significant effect on the handling, whether it is a race car or a street car.”
No word for now on when the impressive engine will become a production reality, or what car it’ll power first, but if or when it does, it could become the most powerful series-produced four-cylinder engine in the world.
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Whoaa… this is a real step forward 450hp from a 2.0 L engine. Now if only we re-use these type of advance tech on power generation… wouldn’t we all be saving lots of $$$ for bahanapi.
Mean while Proton. VVT pwn all!
Meanwhile, Perodua from DVVT to no more DVVT in the Axia.
wow this engine rockss…
But I wonder, hows the heat is it producing that amount of power..
need to concern about the engine’s reliabity..
225bhp per litre, yummy…
Actually 500bhp from a 2L turbo engine is not that extremely difficult to achieve, you just have to design/use the engine components with higher strength/robustness properties. Remember Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500? That was way back in the 1980s. The major breakthrough for this new Volvo engine though is the electrically driven twin turbo units which could further eliminate turbo lag and contribute to better engine efficiency.
This simply shows that our current engine models in today’s cars are not so efficient. I think if they pushed it even further… we will only need 500cc engines equivalent to today’s 5 L engine.
Whoa. That is a lot of power from a 2.0l engine. Wonder if the cylinders can handle the boost, though knowing Volvo’s reliability, it should. This beats the Merc’s AMG 2.0 engine, but… this or the T8 TwinEngine, hmm decisions… decisions…
I think Volvo could pair this engine with an electric motor as well, perhaps even a high performance unit. A performance-oriented TwinEngine variant? It should definitely outgun the T8 TwinEngine because this engine alone has more power than the TwinEngine’s combined power.
so its mean, turbo for turbo,, is it??
turbo mechanism that help to spool turbo unit…
It’s an electric air compressor that’s charging the two turbo’s.
I imagine that much power in a lightweight track weapon would prove to be an absolute blast
something strange, they say there is electric charger spinning the turboes but the pictures clearly shows the exhaust leading into the turbines
there is an electric charger BEFORE the turbos.
the turbos are still spun by exhaust gas but the pre-charged air entering the intakes of the turbo help spin it up too.
http://paultan.org/2014/10/07/volvo-drive-e-four-cylinder-450-hp/volvo-cars-reveals-450-horsepower-high-performance-drive-e-powertrain-concept-8/
i think the image above is the electric charger.
its the same concept as Audi’s e-boost.
this car. i like.
its the engine , not the car…
this engine. i also like.
okeeh noo need to buy lebugini n felali…. this is enough~!
This engine + Concept Coupe (production version) + FR config = SO MUCH WIN.
http://paultan.org/2013/08/30/volvo-concept-coupe-previews-modern-day-p1800/
Twin parallel turbo and triple the charge via electronic turbo…Hmm and how much is to replace these parts?
It could be very expensive. But then again, the base price for the car that this engine will eventually end up in should be very exorbitantly expensive as well since Volvo is in the luxury car bracket. So you’ll have to be very well-off to even consider owning one of these.
Now, yes, electronic motor did a better job in accuracy, but turbochargers don’t charged up by the engine’s outlet, exhaust energy wasted like a natural aspirated engine. It’s like technology civilized, but natural science is moving backward.
Thats a lot of power, which is great considering the downsizing trend these days. But a 4 cylinder engine can’t match the sound of a V6 (or inline six of older BMWs), let alone a V8, which usually produces this kind of power. Just listen to current F1 engines, which are 1.6 turbo 4. They sound like lawnmowers. Hope Volvo manage to come up with an aesthetically pleasing sound to match the power.
Buy the sound of your chosen supercar and put into the cd player/usb of your car. Done.
Agreed. The sound of the current F1 cars are too muffled. But strangely, the sound of turbocharged F1 & Group C sportscar engines from the 1980s at full throttle are actually quite racy (good) as did the sound of turbo engines of Group B & Group A/WRC rally cars.
cool acheivement…
if the new engine is fitted into let say the S40 then the rear badge will have an emblem written “S40 T(e)TT”.
hahaha..
its the trend of manufacturer to squeeze as much juice they can from a smaller engine.Lots of way to do it and new names appear..Skyactiv,eco boost….