Everyone thought the internal combustion engine had had its day, but a group of engineers from Granada, Spain, is proving otherwise. They developed a power source that is so compact and efficient that even car giants Renault and Geely now see serious merit in it and are going to test the technology.
Little fundamental has changed in the world of internal combustion engines for a hundred years. We know the four-stroke, we know the two-stroke, and it pretty much ends there. But in southern Spain, a startup called INNengine is working on something that breaks all the rules. They have designed an engine that is drastically different from anything we know.
The concept is as ingenious as it is complex. Instead of pistons going up and down in a cylinder and driving a crankshaft via connecting rods, this engine works with opposing pistons moving toward each other.
There is no crankshaft in the traditional sense; the pistons push against a rolling disc that generates the rotary motion. There are also no valves, no cylinder heads and no camshafts required.
The result is an engine block that is 70 percent more compact and lighter than a conventional engine of comparable power. The INNengine weighs so little and is so small, you could theoretically put it in a suitcase and take it on a plane.
The big boys are getting in
Until recently, this was an interesting hobby project that attracted attention mainly online, but now it’s getting serious. Horse, the engine division set up by Renault, Geely and Aramco, has announced it will test and validate the technology.
This is no small boy: Horse builds engines for millions of cars worldwide and has 19,000 employees. That they are showing interest and budgeting for validation means the technology is maturing.
Horse’s interest focuses mainly on the e-REX version of the engine. With a capacity of only 500 cc, this little block already produces more than 120 hp, without a turbo or compressor. But the real power lies in its flexibility.
Variable compression allows the engine to run on almost anything: gasoline, hydrogen or synthetic fuels. The system adjusts itself in real time to the fuel being injected.
The perfect range extender
So is this the engine that will replace the electric car? No, probably not right away. But it is the perfect partner. Because the engine runs vibration-free (the pistons cancel each other’s forces) and is extremely compact, it is ideal as a range extender.
It can serve as an efficient generator aboard an electric car, eliminating the need for lead-heavy battery packs. You drive electric, but always have a mini-generator with you that runs on any fuel.
Testing is starting now at the University of Valencia. If the results are as good as the Spaniards claim, this little block may well be the salvation for the internal combustion engine. Not as the main act, but as the ultimate, invisible power plant that will ensure we never have to charge along the highway again.
Image Source: INNengine
