Visitors to the JSAE Show in Yokohama in May will be the first outside the UK to see the unique Lotus Exige 265E flex-fuel technology demonstrator. Also on display will be Lotus Engineering’s advanced optical access research engine.
Both innovations will be on display in the UK Pavilion at this major international show organised by the Japan Society of Automotive Engineers (JSAE) – FISITA’s member society in Japan. The show runs from 23-25 May at the Pacifico Congress Centre in Yokohama.
The Exige 265E technology demonstrator, developed to run on any mixture of BioEthanol from 100% gasoline to E85 BioEthanol (15% Gasoline), will be the centrepiece of the UK’s stand at JSAE.
One of the world’s quickest road-legal bio-ethanol fuelled cars, the Exige 265E is powered by a modified version of the supercharged and intercooled 4-cylinder engine from the production Lotus Exige S. With 197 kW (268 PS) the Exige 265E accelerates to 100 kph in 4.1 seconds and to a top speed of 254 kph. The car is intended as a statement of the company’s commitment to developing eco-friendly powertrain solutions that also provide an exciting and engaging driving experience.
The Exige 265E’s powertrain incorporates a modified fuel system and sophisticated engine management programme. A sensor in the fuel tank diagnoses the real-time bio-ethanol/gasoline mix and the ECU adapts the engine fuelling, timing, cam switching and ignition strategies accordingly.
The UK engineering consultancy is also showcasing its Optical Access AVTTM engine which combines fully variable active valvetrain (AVTTM) technology with the company’s optical access combustion chamber technology. It is being used by Lotus Engineering and its clients to gain in-depth understanding and knowledge of the very latest engine technologies. Optical access allows engineers to use advanced diagnostic techniques such as high speed imaging and laser Doppler anemometry to examine and record airflow and fuel spray characteristics, soot and particulate formation and the combustion event itself. The fully variable electro-hydraulic valvetrain technology allows engineers to infinitely vary the profile of the valve events in real time. It allows rapid assessment of different valve profile strategies and of the impact of those variations on events in the chamber.
First organised in 1992, JSAE’s Automotive Engineering Exposition takes place alongside the society’s annual (Spring) Congress. The event features more than 350 exhibitors and is expected to attract 60,000 visitors.
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