Despite the increasing hype around battery electric vehicles, vehicle supplier Schaeffler (as well as many OEMs and other technology suppliers) predicts that the internal combustion engine will continue to play a major role in the future. Around 70 percent of the vehicles built in 2030 will still be equipped with combustion engines - 30 percent as pure combustion engines, 40 percent as hybrids. However, it is clear that the further development of conventional drives is essential. Matthias Zink, Member of the Board of Management of Automotive OEM at Schaeffler, promises that his solutions shown at the IAA will achieve fuel savings of up to 15 percent, depending on the engine. "We offer our customers many levers with which they can meet the strict legal requirements and further reduce CO2 emissions even in real operation," Zink said.
Many of the supplier's innovations at the IAA point in the direction of optimizing combustion technology. At the exhibition in Frankfurt, the company will be presenting for the first time the latest version of its fully variable UniAir electronic valve control system. The system is more compact and 30 percent lighter than its predecessor. It enables comprehensive optimization of the air path in the engine as well as maximum dynamic response to changes in load and speed. The system consists of a module installed between the camshaft and valve stem and the associated software.
