Light armchair
Welcoming speeches by Dr. Draeger, BMW Director of Automotive Production, were teeming with impressive numbers. Over the past decade and a half, the concern has been able to reduce CO2 emissions from new machines by 30%. At the same time, 52 models emit less than 140 g / km - one of the best indicators among competitors, and 19 of them can boast 120 g / km. In addition, BMW still manages to save fuel and money for buyers of their cars.
To achieve enviable results, the Bavarian strategy of “Efficient Dynamics”, conducted by the Bavarians over the past 10 years, aimed at reducing harmful emissions, has helped in many respects. For the sake of this, not only power units are improved, but the car as a whole: aerodynamics, energy consumption, mass, heat loss and everything else that directly or indirectly affects efficiency.
Easier
Reducing weight is one of the priority areas in pursuit of good indicators of fuel economy, since there are plenty of opportunities. Already at the design stage, developers estimate the weight of the future model. And then they begin to “scrape” the treasured kilograms from the body, aggregates, and chassis. Light materials are selected, they are wise over the design and internal structure, they are trying to make the nodes more compact.
Among the first “weightless samples is the hood, whose honeycomb structure of … cardboard is wrapped in carbon fiber. It is incredible, but the mass of such a part is five times less than a steel similar in size - only 3.3 kg.
It takes about 20 minutes to make a hood made of carbon fiber and cardboard. The developers claim that in mass production, such a part will be no more expensive than those that are now installed on serial machines
It takes about 20 minutes to make a hood made of carbon fiber and cardboard. The developers claim that in mass production, such a part will be no more expensive than those that are now installed on serial machines. It takes about 20 minutes to make a hood made of carbon fiber and cardboard. The developers claim that in mass production, such a part will be no more expensive than those that are now installed on serial machines.
And about one and a half more it is heavier than a paintwork. At the same time, the “cardboard” more efficiently extinguishes the impact energy if the pedestrian, God forbid, gets under the wheels and flops onto the hood. And it is much easier to program the crease zones - just change the thickness of the cardboard structure.
Parts made from familiar materials also lose weight. Naturally, the most stringent diets are prescribed for large and heavy models. The roof of the Seven, stamped from aluminum, is 5 kg lighter than steel. Doors of the "five" from the same winged metal give a gain of 23 kg. However, not only external panels are made of light materials. For example, the Rolls-Royce dashboard frame (brand owned by BMW), cast from magnesium, is almost a third lighter than steel.
Approximately 5% could lose weight a car, he dropped all the noise isolation. It is impossible to completely abandon it in civilian models, it is necessary to competently reduce and distribute it. Particular attention is given to the front of the car. There are most noise sources, the load on the front axle is great. Therefore, BMW partially replaces bulky and weighty insulating mats with openwork and thin panels made of polyurethane and textile: glued not to the body, but to the engine in calibrated places, they dampen vibration in the sound range, and in addition, serve as additional thermal insulation.
To lose 1.5 kg, the pedal assembly is made of fiberglass by injection molding. Only the brake pedal is left metallic - loads on it are tens of times more than on the clutch
To lose 1.5 kg, the pedal assembly is made of fiberglass by injection molding. Only the brake pedal is left metallic - loads on it are tens of times more than on the clutch. To lose 1.5 kg, the pedal assembly is made of fiberglass by injection molding. Only the brake pedal is left metallic - loads on it are tens of times more than on the clutch.
PERFECT CYLINDER
An interesting idea of global unification of engines is an ideal cylinder with a volume of 500 cm³. It will be used as a module for the construction of three-, four- and six-cylinder (the last good for BMW is traditionally in-line) engines that produce indicators that are enviable by today's standards. According to estimates, the torque and power taken from the “standard” cylinder will be 60–100 N • m and 30–50 kW, respectively, for diesel engines - 75–100 N • m and 20–40 kW.
Convenient and profitable. In fact, you need to invest only once. To calculate the geometry of the cylinder, the shape of the combustion chamber, adjust the fuel equipment and the system of boosting the air, debug the work process - the ideal cylinder is ready.
Modern gasoline and diesel engines are not only similar in characteristics, but also allow you to borrow many details from each other. For example, the cylinder blocks are the same in height, cylinder spacing and cooling system, which allows them to be processed on the same equipment. Or a single for all motors drive of the gas distribution mechanism and auxiliary units, which will be placed on the rear wall. It’s better in terms of layout and pedestrian safety, and the farther from the nose, the more space between the hood and units.
The first 6-cylinder diesel BMW released in 1983. Compared with the motor almost 30 years ago, the current one is more than twice as powerful and one third more economical. At the last step of evolutionary development, the engine received a new Common Rail fuel system with control solenoids in nozzles and an injection pressure of up to 1800 bar, a lightweight crankshaft, a turbine with less inertia and optimized intake and exhaust systems
The first 6-cylinder diesel BMW released in 1983. Compared with the motor almost 30 years ago, the current one is more than twice as powerful and one third more economical. At the last step of evolutionary development, the engine received a new Common Rail fuel system with control solenoids in nozzles and an injection pressure of up to 1800 bar, a lightweight crankshaft, a turbine with less inertia and optimized intake and exhaust systems. The first 6-cylinder diesel BMW released in 1983. Compared with the motor almost 30 years ago, the current one is more than twice as powerful and one third more economical. At the last step of evolutionary development, the engine received a new Common Rail fuel system with control solenoids in nozzles and an injection pressure of up to 1800 bar, a lightweight crankshaft, a turbine with less inertia and optimized intake and exhaust systems.
According to the concept, the number of identical parts in gasoline and diesel engines will be about 40%. Unification within families is approximately one and a half times higher: for example, parts of a connecting rod and piston group, fuel system and boost. Naturally, the location of the engines under the hood is also standardized: the angle of inclination and the attachment points of the units, and with them the location of the main components of the cooling, air supply, exhaust, and air conditioning systems. It may happen that even the assembler on the conveyor will not immediately determine which engine is in front of him - diesel or gasoline.
GENERATION i
In 2013, two new models will start, embodying the Efficient Dynamics strategy. Both have the index i in the name, which speaks of alternative drives and original technical solutions that improve dynamics and reduce fuel consumption. The i8 Sportcar is a hybrid with rechargeable batteries from the mains, the conceptual parent of which was the BMW-Vision presented in 2009 in Frankfurt (pictured) with the cherished words Efficient Dynamics in the title. Under the hood - two electric motors and a three-cylinder diesel engine, total power 356 hp The car consumes no more than 4 l / 100 km, and the power reserve is about 700 km.
