Valeo signs up 'several global automakers' for camless engine

Just_me

The technology is expected to be available in less than five years.

"We will have an engine on the market by 2010 or 2011," says Martin Haub, Valeo board member for r&d. "Development is under way."

A Valeo spokesman would not confirm the contracts but said the French supplier is "working with several global automakers" on camless engines. He declined to identify any of them.

At the proving grounds here near Paris, where journalists could drive a car with a prototype camless engine, Haub told Automotive News Europe that Valeo's project is half-camless - only the intake valves are electronically actuated. That gives 80 percent of the performance of a fully camless engine, which Valeo also is working on, at half the cost, he said.

Industry sources said the manufacturing cost of a four-cylinder, half-camless gasoline engine is about 300 euros (about $395 at current exchange rates) more than a conventional gasoline engine. When asked to confirm that price, Haub said Valeo's solution is substantially less than the price premium for a modern diesel engine.

Engine developers have long been interested in camless technology's promise of as much as 20 percent better fuel economy over a conventional engine.

Also, there is less complexity and less weight because mechanical camshafts and related parts are eliminated.

BMW is following developments in the technology but is concerned about cost and durability, says Christian Bock, the automaker's V-8 engine calibration general manager.

"The technical barrier is not the valve actuators but the sensors to make the thing work," he said. "The sensors (still) are not accurate enough and have engine-life durability and reliability issues."

But Bock said one appealing point is that camless engines do not depend on fuel quality like diesel or gasoline direct-injection engines do. "It's a global solution, and the other two are only regional for now," he said.

Haub said Valeo's half-camless engine would improve fuel consumption 15 to 20 percent and provide 15 to 20 percent more low-end torque than a conventional gasoline engine.

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monster

BMW has been working on it for more than 10 years, apparently they were trying to activate the valves using a electric motor. Lotus is apparently working on a electro-magnetic system to activate the valves. The problem facing the engineers besides inaccurate sensors is that they cannot get enough electical power from the batteries to allow for such systems. It will be very interesting to see it working. BTW, i remembered some company has developed a completely valve and cam-free system for F1 engines. it was never used because it is complicated and not very realiable.