2008 Lotus Exige 270E TriFuel Concept

2008 Lotus Exige 270E TriFuel Concept Exterior Front View

2008 Lotus Exige 270E TriFuel Concept Exterior Rear View

2008 Lotus Exige 270E TriFuel Concept Exterior Side View

Lotus Engineering, the division of the automotive world renowned board of Lotus, unveils its latest development for the carbon neutral road transport at the 78th International Motor Show in Geneva. The Lotus Exige 270E Tri-fuel is the most powerful road version yet of the Exige (0-60 mph / 96 km / h in 3.88 seconds, a top speed of 158 mph (255 km / h), 270 hp (201 kW / 273 PS at 8000 rpm) and it runs on any mixture of gasoline, bioethanol and methanol. New technologies allow alcohol fuels such as methanol, a fuel already proven internal combustion, to be produced synthetically from CO2 extracted from the atmosphere.

An alcohol-based fuel from renewable sources from atmospheric CO2 would allow society to transfer relatively easily to sustainable development, internal-combustion carbon-neutral. Lotus Engineering is researching the use of sustainable synthetic alcohols as potential future fuels, with technology available from Lotus for introduction in four to five years. However, investment in supply infrastructure of governments and fuel companies could take 15 to 20 years.

This research is one aspect of the pioneering work of Lotus Engineering on environmentally friendly vehicles. He is involved in a number of electric vehicle projects, has successfully integrated hybrid technologies into vehicles such as its EVE demonstrator, and recently announced the results on a collaboration with Continental Division Powertrain on the Low CO2 engine reduces three cylinders. Research into sustainable alcohols is progressing at Lotus Hethel headquarters in Norfolk, United Kingdom and requires the contribution of the Royal Society of Chemistry Alternative Fuel Symposium Series, of low carbon vehicles innovation platform, developed by the Technology Strategy Board and direct discussions with the University of Sheffield.

Methanol (CH3OH) can be produced synthetically from CO2 and hydrogen. Ultimately, new processes to recover atmospheric CO2 will provide the required carbon that can entirely balance the CO2 emissions in the exhaust resulting from the internal combustion of synthetic methanol. The result is that a car running on synthetic methanol, such as the Exige 270E Tri-fuel would be environmentally neutral.

In addition to being green, the greater benefit of synthetic methanol is that it would use similar engines and fuel systems to those in current cars, and synthetic methanol can be stored, transported and retailed in much In the same way as today’s liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel.

Synthetic methanol also possesses properties better suited to internal combustion than today’s liquid fuels, giving improved performance and thermal efficiency. And is ideal for pressure drop (turbocharging and supercharging) already established by manufacturers to downsize engines in order to improve fuel consumption. source