Second-generation Chevy Volt might receive a rotary engine
By Andrew C., 30 Aug, 2010. 0 Comments
General Motors Co. is considering a rotary engine for the second generation Chevrolet Volt.
In an interview with Inside Line, Karl Stracke, GM's vice president of global engineering, said that the range-extending gasoline engine in the next-gen Volt will be smaller than the 71hp 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder in the 2011 Volt. Stracke shared about the company‚ strategy to pick a rotary engine or a two-cylinder (gas) engine producing 15-18 kW (20-24 hp. He explained that rotary may have a higher fuel consumption but that its round packaging is an advantage. He said that a single-rotor engine could be enough. He also cited that the Mazda RX-8 is the only current-production rotary-engined car and it uses the two-rotor Renesis engine. Of course, the Volt has needs that are quite different from the RX-8. Stracke noted that with the higher rpm of a rotary, there has to be an NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) solution. He also revealed that for the next generation of GM hybrids, a diesel engine is being considered. The issue with this is that diesel has a higher materials cost but then consumers would have lower fuel costs.
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