EcoMotors, Inc., (EM), developer of the efficient, clean, lightweight and powerful opposed-piston opposed-cylinder (opoc®) engine technology, announced today that it has established a joint research and development center together with Hunan University (HNU) in Changsha to further develop and adapt their technology for the Chinese market.
The new center will be located at HNU’s Research Center for Advanced Powertrain Technology (RCAPT) and serve as a base for EM research and development in China. EM will provide funding to develop opoc engines and associated technologies, and adapt them to the local market. For its part, HNU will give EM use of the RCAPT’s engine testing and computational facilities, as well as other resources.
“As our first overseas R&D center, this partnership is an important step in the commercialization of our advanced technology and a sign of the importance this market plays in our global strategy.” said Amit Soman, EM’s president and chief operating officer. “At this center we will fine-tune products to meet the specific needs of the Chinese market and provide support for our other partners in China.”
Located in a province that serves as an industrial base for mechanical manufacturing, the center also will provide EM with access to top local talent. As part of the partnership, EM will give scholarships to graduate students at HNU’s research center, funding their work on the opoc technology. The most promising students will be sent to work at EM’s Shanghai office or other EM facilities.
“As a leading research institution, HNU is proud to give our full support to EM, a company that is redefining engine technology,” said Professor Liu Jingping, the director of the Joint Research Center of EM and HNU. “This collaboration will enable us to play a pivotal role in creating more efficient engines and a cleaner future for China.”
The opoc engine is designed to be 15 to 45 percent more efficient, smaller, lighter, and less expensive to manufacture than conventional internal combustion engines. Its “dual-module” configurations give the engine the versatility to offer peak power while significantly lowering emissions and enhancing operating efficiency and fuel economy. The reduced size and weight also allows automakers to fundamentally rethink the way they design vehicles, which holds the potential for further efficiencies through improved aerodynamics.
“HNU, with its advanced engine testing facilities, is the perfect partner to help tailor EM’s opoc technology to the China market,” said Professor Peter Hofbauer, founder, chairman and chief technical officer at EcoMotors. “With the talented individuals of both EM and HNU working together, this partnership is sure to produce revolutionary advancements to EM’s engine technology, applicable not only in China, but in the global market as well.”
